MANILA – In a unanimous vote on Monday, the Senate approved legislation moving the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) first regular elections to September 2026, extending the transition period of the regional government.
Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Bill No. 1823 calls for the first parliamentary elections to occur on the second Monday of September, followed by elections every three years.
The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) will remain the interim governing body throughout the extended transition, except in cases where members are replaced by the President or elected to other offices.
The bill requires the use of the same automated voting system applied in the May 12, 2025 national and local elections. Registered voters within BARMM precincts, as determined by the latest Election Registration Board hearings, will be eligible to cast ballots.
Officials elected in the first BARMM parliamentary vote are scheduled to take office at noon on October 30, 2026. Funding will come from current-year appropriations of the Commission on Elections or other sources identified by the Department of Budget and Management, with future election expenses included in the General Appropriations Act.
Senator Joel Villanueva lauded the legislation, noting that the rescheduling strengthens, rather than delays, democracy. “It ensures fair and confident participation by the people of BARMM in selecting their leaders,” Villanueva said.
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