Bill deferring BARMM elections by one year to May 11, 2026 greenlit by House

BARMM ELECTIONS BOUND TO BE RESCHEDULED AGAIN FOLLOWING THE FIRST POSTPONEMENT IN 2022. A majority of lawmakers have voted in favor of House Bill No. 11144, seeking to defer the conduct of BARMM’s first regular elections in 2026. Akin to the first postponement of BARMM’s polls in 2022, the need to reschedule elections in the autonomous region was necessary in order to address persisting problems in legislation, especially concerning the proposed exclusion (Photo courtesy of HOR/FILE)

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

A bill postponing the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from May 12, 2025 to May 11, 2026 was approved on its third and final reading by the House of Representatives, with 198 votes in favor and four against it.

Said legislation was authored by House Speaker Martin Romualdez, with the intention of allocating more time for the promotion of broader participation from political parties and the electorate, further enhancing their understanding of new electoral processes.

House Bill (HB) No. 11144 stipulates that the first regular election in BARMM would be held on the second Monday of May 2026 and every three years thereafter. Once in effect, the term of office of the BARMM Transition Authority’s (BTA) present members shall be deemed expired.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. shall then appoint 80 BTA members who shall serve until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

The BARMM government shall disburse the share of the province of Sulu from the national government’s annual block grant for the autonomous region’s programs in 2025.

Moreover, the Commission on Elections (Comelec), through the Bangsamoro Electoral Office, shall promulgate rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections, and enforce and administer them pursuant to national laws, the BARMM Organic Law, and the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.

The proposed postponement law, once signed by the President, shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Earlier, a counterpart bill that sought to reset the BARMM elections also to May 11, 2026 was filed in the Senate by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

If the regional polls are postponed, it would be the second deferment since May 2022, when the first regular elections in the autonomous region were originally scheduled to be held. (with report from Mela Lesmoras/PTV News)

-iro

Popular

PBBM cites need to promote Filipino food for ‘experiential tourism’

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday emphasized the importance of promoting Filipino native delicacies and cuisines...

Gov’t measures vs. inflationary pressures effective — NEDA

By Kris Crismundo and Stephanie Sevillano | Philippine News Agency Government efforts to control inflation are showing results as the country’s inflation rate continued to...

Palace lauds rude Russian vlogger’s arrest; persona non grata declaration looms

By Filane Mikee Cervantes | Philippine News Agency Malacañang on Friday lauded law enforcement agencies for their swift action in arresting Russian-American vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy,...

Myanmar’s junta chief to head to Bangkok summit as quake toll surpasses 3,000

By Agence France-Presse The head of Myanmar's junta is expected to travel to Bangkok on Thursday for a regional summit, as the death toll from...