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MANILA, November 30, 2025 (SDN) — Is the first parliamentary polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) going to be held sometime in March 2026?

Whether a fourth postponement of the regular regional political exercise may, instead, happen, or it’s going to push through as many are clamoring for, including President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. as he had often enunciated, prospective aspirants need to file their Certificate of Candidacy (COC).

In Comelec Resolution No. 11181 on the Calendar of Activities and Period of Certain Prohibited Acts in Connection with the March 30, 2026, BARMM Parliamentary Elections, the poll body set the filing of COCs on January 5 to 9.

On the other hand, the election period covers January 29 to April 14 (gun ban and other prohibitions); February 2 as the last day to post the List of Candidates; and February 12 to March 29 as the campaign period for the parliamentary elections.

It can be recalled that the Supreme Court in a ruling pertaining to Petitions in G.R. Nos. E-02219 and E-02235 had declared Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 99 and Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 58 as both “unconstitutional”.

The High Tribunal’s decision affected the October 13 schedule of the Bangsamoro parliamentary polls, in effect postponing it for the third time. “Thereafter, and in compliance with Section 5 of the Voter’s Registration Act, respondent Commission on Elections is DIRECTED to PROMPLY PROCEED with its preparations and conduct elections not later than March 31, 2026,” the ruling said. (emphasis supplied)

In relation with the decision, the High Court directed the Bangsamoro Transition Authority “to IMMEDIATELY UNDERTAKE, by October 30, 2025, at the latest, the accomplishment of the determination of parliamentary districts for the first regular election for members of the Parliament.”

Bangsamoro leaders back holding of parliamentary polls

The Bangsamoro region comprising of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi; the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi; as well as the Special Geographic Area (SGA) with eight new municipalities was created by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

Recall further that the first parliamentary political exercise was to be conducted on May 9, 2022, then reset to May 12, 2025, then to October 13, 2025. The Supreme Court decision reset it not later than March 31, 2026, with the Comelec recently setting the polls for March 30 following the decision.

While the October 13 election did not warrant re-filing of COCs for those who already accomplished, the March 30, 2026, requires everyone aspirant, apparently, to file COC.

Barring any new hitch — notably the required parliamentary districting law from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), as many are hoping, the historic regional elections would be conducted at long last.

Bangsamoro leaders, including interim Chief Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of which he is the chief of staff of its Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), civil society organizations (CSOs), many individuals and others have voiced support for and called on proceeding the with parliamentary elections.

At least eight regional parties (or 10) the Comelec had accredited are vying for the 73 seats for MPs (previously 80 but reduced after the Supreme Court removed Sulu from the BARMM family). The MILF’s political arm, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) under former BARMM chief minister Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim appears to be the biggest of the regional parties, without considering those which had formed alliances.

Of the BARMM parties, two belong to two Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) factions, the Misuari and Sema groups,

Once the MPs shall have been elected and sworn to office, from among them shall be the regular chief minister as the regular BARMM government and its parliament, a unique seat up in a Republic government, start to govern.

Obviously, the party that garners the most winning MPs, or the one that can strike a deal with other MPs/parties to become the majority, will have the number to elect the chief minister. — EDD K. Usman (/)

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Note, as gleaned from a PCIJ (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism) article on November 5, 2024:

Accredited Regional Political Parties
(As of Nov. 10, 2024)

The BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) is a region-wide coalition of major political parties, including:

• the Al-Ittihad party led by former TESDA Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu and erstwhile Maguindanao del Sur Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu;
• the Bangsamoro People’s Party (BPP) led by Basilan lone Rep. Mujiv Hataman;
• the Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP) party led by Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong; and
• Salaam party of Sulu Governor Sakur Tan. (lifted from PCIJ article, thank you.)

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The author

EDD, a native of Sub-Saharan Africa Buluan/Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, BARMM, college at UST, is a Manila-based journalist for over 40 years (33 years with Manila Bulletin), has five Media Awards (1 with University of the Philippines (UP) 2017 Science Journalism Award), covered and traveled over 40 times abroad), has contributed to Rappler, Business Mirror, Manila Business Insights, Panorama Magazine, Agriculture Magazine, and others, former Manila-based Foreign Correspondent of Saudi Arabia newspapers Saudi Gazette and Riyadh Daily, and The Peninsula (Qatar newspaper), with 2008 East-West Center (EWC) Journalism Seminar in the United States, 2000 Executive IT Seminar in Seoul, South Korea, with three Silver Awards in Photography, writes Muslim and Current Affairs, Enterprise, Science, Tech, Products Launch, and virtually everything under Heaven. (®)