COTABATO CITY -- Bangsamoro transition officials are expressing confidence that the outcome of extensive public consultations on proposed districting bills will pave the way for a “constitutionally compliant” parliamentary election in 2026.

Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo, who chairs the transition parliament's local government committee, said the public discussions on at least six districting bills are crucial to meeting the legal requirements for the upcoming polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Sinarimbo cited that the districting bills underwent rigorous scrutiny from a large number of attendees whose suggestions included changes to town clusters in the island provinces of Tawi-Tawi and Basilan, as well as in contested areas in Lanao del Sur.

The BTA's public consultation series, which started in November in Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, and the Special Geographic Area, continued with hearings in Lanao del Sur on 7 December; Cotabato City on 8 December; Maguindanao del Sur on 10 December and concluded Friday, 12 December in Maguindanao del Norte.

BTA officials reported that the consultations drew unusually large and diverse crowds across the region, which they said reinforces claims that the measure is being shaped through a genuinely open and participatory democratic process.

Attendance levels reportedly exceeded organizers’ expectations, marking one of the most widely attended public consultation efforts during the Bangsamoro transition period.

Participants engaged lawmakers in extended discussions covering proposed district boundaries, population representation, and seat allocation under the future parliamentary setup. Stakeholders also raised concerns about protecting minority representation, ensuring geographic contiguity, and aligning districts with social and economic realities on the ground.

Transition lawmakers and resource speakers assured attendees that all inputs, both written and oral, were formally recorded and would be considered in refining the bills. BTA officials stressed that the consultations were a critical step in strengthening the legal and democratic legitimacy of the districting law, rather than merely procedural formalities.

The process comes amid time pressure to pass the districting measure ahead of election-related preparations, following advisories from election authorities regarding compliance with electoral timelines.

Despite the shortened timeline, transition lawmakers maintained that broad participation would not be sacrificed, underscoring transparency and inclusivity as guiding principles.

Sinarimbo stressed that the outcome of the consultations will help ensure that the final district configuration fairly represents the region’s diverse communities.