The Bangsamoro Parliament approved a long-delayed districting law on January 13, 2026, setting 32 districts for the region's first parliamentary elections. The measure followed a 10-hour special session amid delays from Supreme Court rulings. Comelec can now proceed with preparations for the March 30, 2026 polls.
In Cotabato City, the Bangsamoro Parliament's special session began on January 12, 2026, and culminated in the approval of BTA Bill No. 415, the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2025, at 12:33 am on January 13. By nominal vote, 48 members voted yes, 19 no, and 4 abstained, resolving uncertainty over seat allocation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
A 2024 Supreme Court ruling excluded Sulu from BARMM, and a September 2025 decision declared prior redistricting laws unconstitutional, postponing parliamentary elections from October 2025 to March 30, 2026. This led Comelec to suspend certificate of candidacy filings in December 2025.
Authored by Bangsamoro Transition Authority Member Naguib Sinarimbo and nine others from six competing bills, the law outlines 32 contiguous and compact single-member districts, each with at least 100,000 residents. Seat distribution includes 9 for Lanao del Sur including Marawi City, 5 for Maguindanao del Norte, 5 for Maguindanao del Sur, 4 for Basilan, 4 for Tawi-Tawi, 3 for Cotabato City, and 2 for the Special Geographic Area.
Lawmakers from Basilan and Tawi-Tawi raised concerns over the allocation favoring mainland provinces, but the majority approved it to advance the democratic process. BARMM interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua certified the bill as urgent to resume election preparations. The 32 district representatives will join 40 party-list and 8 sectoral members to form an 80-seat parliament.
