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MANILA, December 1, 2025 (SDN) — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Legislative body today, Monday, has assured that is presently striving to pass the districting law, which is pre-condition of holding the region’s historic first parliamentary polls.

Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament Floor Leader and Spokesman Atty. Jet Lim gave the assurance as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) already scheduled the regional political exercise on March 30, 2026.

The poll body’s action follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that the parliamentary elections should be held not later March 31 next year.

Recall that the third schedule of the polls was supposed to be on October 13 this year, but the High Tribunal’s decision declaring as “unconstitutional” the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 77 and BAA No. 58, thereby also resetting the region’s first regular elections.

“As part of its transitional mandate, the BTA Parliament has been working with diligence, transparency, and broad public participationto enact the districting law. Six districting bill versions are currently before the Parliament and have been referred to the appropriate committees for study and consolidation,” Lim emphasized.

Recall that Comelec headed by Chairman George Erwin Garcia had given the BARMM legislators until November 30 to pass the districting law.

Recall further that a part of an earlier decision of the High Court cut the province of Sulu’s umbilical cord from the Bangsamoro region’s family.

As a result the province

Thus, presently after Sulu was removed from the BARMM, the region is now comprised of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi; the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi; and the Special Geographic Area (SGA) made up of eight new municipalities.

Inclusive, transparent, and legally compliant districting process

The Parliament floor leader issued the statement in response to questions from the public on what steps at the moment are being done by the BTA-BARMM as it concerns its mandate to pass a districting law.

Lim did not forget mentioning what the Supreme Court ruled in Ali et al. versus BTA Parliament (G.R. No. E-02219 & E-02235), saying it “clearly states that the authority to schedule the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections rests with Congress.”

He added: “Like everyone else, we look forward to the holding of the first BARMM parliamentary elections.”

The BTA member of the Parliament (MP) assured the legislative body’s commitment to an inclusive, transparent, and legally compliant districting process and aims to complete and pass the districting law by December 2025 in accordance with the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

As many know, the BOL established the BARMM in 2019 to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAN) signed by the Philippine Government (GPH) and the MILF after 17 years of protracted peace negotiations.

In his statement issued Monday, Lim said that in step with the major task of passing the districting law, “the Parliament is diligently deliberating the proposed BARMM Budget Bill for 2026 to ensure the continued delivery of essential programs and services.”

He stressed the significance of the two major legislative undertakings, passing a districting measure and budget deliberation, as a reflection of the Parliament’s commitment to responsible governance and uninterrupted public service.

Speaking for the BTA, he enjoined the public’s active participation in the legislative process of enacting a law and to share constructive feedback. “Together, we can build a fair and representative parliamentary districting system that reflects the voices and aspiration of the Bangsamoro people.”

He said the Parliament made the first public consultation in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, on November 6, with the next two on December 4 for the SGA, Maguindanao del Sur, and Basilan, and on December 7 to be held in Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Cotabato City.

Lim was recently chosen the floor leader following the election of Speaker Ustadhz Muhammad S. Yacob, replacing the late MP Pangalian Ali Balindong. — EDD K. Usman (©)

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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. (©)