MANILA, Philippines — Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr. on Tuesday stressed the urgent need to pass the Bangsamoro election law, calling it the final legal requirement for the region’s first regular parliamentary elections.
In a statement, Lagdameo said the measure is critical in ensuring credible and inclusive elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
He said the polls would mark the official shift from the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority to a democratically elected parliament.
Lagdameo warned that failure to meet the remaining legal requirements could result in further delays, echoing earlier advisories from the Commission on Elections that any postponement would necessitate setting a new election date in 2026
to avoid conflicts 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. It is an opportunity for the Bangsamoro to shape their parliament directly and to prove that democracy here is strong and that leadership is truly accountable to the people,” Lagdameo said.
His remarks echoed the position of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has repeatedly stressed that the enactment and conduct of the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections are essential to regional independence and the success of the peace process.
“If the election fails, that will be a big failure in the peace process, that’s why the Bangsamoro elections need to be successful. Failed BARMM polls not an option,” the President earlier said in a statement.
A major legal hurdle was cleared on January 13 after the BTA Parliament approved BTA Bill No. 415, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2025, which establishes 32 single-member parliamentary districts - a constitutional requirement for the elections to proceed.
Under the law, nine districts were allocated to Lanao del Sur, including Marawi City; 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 aligns with a 2025 Supreme Court ruling that voided an earlier districting law and excluded Sulu from BARMM.
The BARMM polls will elect 32 district representatives, alongside 40 party-list and eight sectoral representatives, to form the first 80-member regular Bangsamoro Parliament.