The House of Representatives, voting 247 in favor with none opposed and two abstentions on Tuesday, approved on third and final reading a measure setting the date of the first regular parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in September 2026, as lawmakers moved to close the legal gap created by court rulings and keep the region’s transition to a duly elected Parliament on track.

Under the guidance of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos led the approval of House Bill (HB) No. 8220, the proposed measure providing for the date of the first regular parliamentary elections in BARMM.

Marcos said the bill seeks to keep the peace process anchored on a clear democratic mandate while giving election authorities the legal basis to begin preparations early.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, the main sponsor and author of the measure, said the bill is designed to ensure that the very first regular BARMM parliamentary elections can take place on the second Monday of September, with both chambers now positioned to align the final version once the Senate completes its own action.

Adiong, House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chairman, said the bill protects the integrity of the transition by putting the first parliamentary elections on firm legal ground, so the people of Bangsamoro can finally choose their leaders through the ballot.

“This bill allows that the first BARMM elections will take place in September this year, and with the Senate’s approval, we are ready for the bicam so we can deliver a clear and credible path to the people of the region,” Adiong said.

HB 8220 amends Section 13, Article XVI of Republic Act No. 11054, the Bangsamoro Organic Law, to set the first regular election for the Bangsamoro Government under the Organic Law on the second Monday of September 2026, and it also lays down the schedule for succeeding polls to keep the transition aligned with the national election calendar.

For purposes of synchronization, the measure provides that regular elections for the Bangsamoro Government shall be held on the second Monday of May 2031 and every three years thereafter, with officials in later cycles assuming office at noon on the 30th day of June following their election—a timeline meant to stabilize governance and avoid repeated resets that weaken public confidence.

It directs the Commission on Elections, through the Bangsamoro Electoral Office, to promulgate the rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections, enforce them, and administer the polls pursuant to national law, the Organic Law, and the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, underscoring that the credibility of the first vote will rest as much on preparation as it will on election day itself.

The bill also provides a holdover mechanism during the extension of the transition period, allowing the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to continue as interim government in BARMM until their successors have been elected and qualified, while clarifying that interim members may be replaced by the President or have their tenure shortened by election to another office or by other causes.

The measure, to support operational readiness, provides that the automated election system used in the May 12, 2025, national and local elections shall likewise be used for the first BARMM parliamentary election, including the machines, devices, and equipment, as well as the suppliers and providers involved in their operation and maintenance, to ensure consistency, efficiency, and integrity in the process.

The bill gives Comelec flexibility to explore other modes of conducting the election, such as manual voting, if the commission determines ahead of the BARMM parliamentary elections that automation is no longer practicable based on surrounding circumstances—an option meant to keep the elections feasible even under shifting conditions.

On candidacies, the measure provides for a new period for the filing of certificates of candidacy for parliamentary district representatives and the list of nominees, and it requires that certificates filed from November 4 to 9, 2024, be refiled within the new period, while limiting substitution of candidates or nominees to cases of death or disqualification under Comelec rules.

It also affirms voter eligibility by stating that all qualified voters registered in the permanent list in BARMM precincts based on the latest Election Registration Board hearing are entitled to vote in the BARMM parliamentary election, and it provides that funding necessary for implementation shall be charged against available appropriations of Comelec, with BARMM allowed to provide additional funding chargeable against its local funds, subject to budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules.