The Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP) on Tuesday emphasized the urgent need to pass the Bangsamoro election law, calling it the final legal requirement for the region’s first regular parliamentary elections.

Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr. said the measure is critical to ensuring credible and inclusive elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The polls will mark the official transition from the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority to a democratically elected parliament.

Lagdameo warned that failing to meet the remaining legal requirements could cause further delays.

He cited that the Commission on Elections has advised that any postponement would require a new date within 2026 to avoid conflicting with preparations for the 2028 national elections.

"The first BARMM parliamentary elections will be a historic moment not just for the region but for the entire nation," Lagdameo said. "It is an opportunity for the Bangsamoro to shape their parliament directly and to prove that democracy here is strong."

The push for the law aligns with the stance of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has characterized the success of the regional elections as vital to the peace process. Marcos previously stated that a failed election "is not an option."

The region cleared a significant hurdle Jan. 13 when the BTA Parliament approved BTA Bill No. 415, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2025.

The bill, which passed with a 48-19 vote and four abstentions, established 32 single-member parliamentary districts.

The new districting law allocates nine districts to Lanao del Sur; five each to Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur; four each to Basilan and Tawi-Tawi; three to Cotabato City; and two to the Special Geographic Area.

The measure follows a 2025 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated an earlier districting law and excluded Sulu from the BARMM.

With the districting law settled, the commission is expected to move forward with preparations to elect 80 representatives: 32 district-based, 40 party-list, and eight sectoral members.