In January 2026, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority passed a long-delayed districting measure to enable the region's first parliamentary elections. Yet, the election date remains uncertain due to legal and operational issues. Comelec Chairman George Garcia stated that holding the polls by the Supreme Court's March 31, 2026 deadline is no longer feasible.
The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will involve more than two million voters selecting leaders. Instead of directly choosing the chief minister, voters will select a regional political party and one district representative; the resulting parliament will appoint the chief minister.
The BARMM parliament will consist of 80 members: 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and 8 sectoral representatives. The allocation is 50% for parties, 40% for districts, and 10% for sectorals. Parties must secure at least 4% of total votes for a seat, distributed proportionally based on their share.
Candidates may run as individuals for the 32 district seats, divided as follows: 9 in Lanao del Sur including Marawi City, 5 in Maguindanao del Norte, 5 in Maguindanao del Sur, 4 in Basilan, 4 in Tawi-Tawi, 3 in Cotabato City, and 2 in the Special Geographic Area. In 2024, the Supreme Court excluded Sulu, redistributing its 7 seats to other areas and restoring the total to 32 from 25.
Voters will not select sectoral representatives; these will be chosen by accredited organizations. There are 2 seats for non-Moro indigenous peoples and settlers, 1 for women, 1 for youth, 1 for traditional leaders, and 1 for the Ulama. During registration, voters can identify up to three sectors.
The Bangsamoro Transition Authority currently serves as the interim government under Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, who succeeded Ahod “Al-Haj Murad” Ebrahim of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. They are appointed by the Philippine president; the first BTA in 2019 by Duterte, and the second in 2022 by Marcos Jr., including 41 from the MILF.
Key delays in the timeline: February 2024, BAA 58 passed including Sulu; September 2024, Supreme Court excludes Sulu; August 2025, election period begins and BAA 77 amends districts; September 2025, Supreme Court issues TRO; October 2025, Supreme Court declares BAA 58 and 77 unconstitutional, postponing October 13, 2025 elections; December 2025, certificate of candidacy filing suspended; January 2026, new districting law passed.
“We are now confronted with strong legal and operational issues as to whether the conduct of the first Bangsamoro parliamentary election is still feasible by March 30,” Garcia said. The 120-day rule against redistricting makes the Supreme Court's March 31 deadline unfeasible.
