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69 of 80 seats to theBangsamoro Parliament 41 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The first everBangsamoro Parliament election is expected to take place in theBangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) not later than March 31, 2026 under theBangsamoro Organic Law, the charter of the autonomous region of thePhilippines.
This election will be the first regular election for theBangsamoro Parliament and would succeed the interimBangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament.
The postponement of the elections from May 2022 to May 2025, was caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic and consequentially the absence of a Bangsamoro Electoral Code. The interim regional government and advocacy groups in Mindanao successfully campaigned to move the date of the elections.
The election was postponed for a second time afterSulu was ruled by the Supreme Court as not part of the Bangsamoro leaving seven seats unallocated. It was scheduled to be held on October 13, 2025. However the Supreme Court declared the two districting laws as unconstitutional postponing the election yet again for the third time and is expected to be held no later than March 31, 2026.
When Bangsamoro was formed in 2019, theBangsamoro Transition Authority served as an interim government of the autonomous region, and also acted as itsinterim parliament. The interim government is not officially divided through political party affiliation but is instead divided into two groups according to the nominating entity; the majority are nominees of theMoro Islamic Liberation Front, while the rest are nominees of the Philippine national government.[1]
Under the law which postponed the elections to 2025, the President of the Philippines may appoint a new set of members for the interim parliament whose term will run until June 30, 2025.[2]
| Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament composition | |
|---|---|
| Political group | Seats |
| Moro Islamic Liberation Front nominees | 41 / 80 |
| National Government nominees | 39 / 80 |
Originally scheduled to be held on May 9, 2022, the Bangsamoro Parliament elections was postponed. The impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic in the region was cited as justification, which led to the non-passage of a Bangsamoro Electoral Code. The electoral code would be the regional legislation that would define theparliamentary districts for the purpose of the regional elections. The electoral code would be legislated using data from the2020 census which was likewise affected by the pandemic.[3] In order for the elections to be postponed, theBangsamoro Organic Law needs to be amended.
The Bangsamoro interim government and some advocacy groups in Mindanao campaigned for the postponement of the polls.[4][5]Interim Chief MinisterMurad Ebrahim reasoned that three years is not enough to restructure the region's government, and that the COVID-19 pandemic and delays on the release of the region's budget caused the delay in the transition process. The postponement also received opposition.Kusug Tausug in theHouse of Representatives believed that postponing the elections tantamount to justifying the interim Bangsamoro government's performance which it found inadequate.Sulu GovernorAbdusakur Tan also opposed the extension since he wanted elected officials to lead the region by 2022.[6]
In theCongress, there was a debate if it would be necessary to hold a plebiscite for the potential postponement of the Bangsamoro elections.[7][6] TheNational Citizens' Movement for Free Elections, amid talks on the possible postponement of the elections, wanted the polls to be "desynchronized" or be held in a different date from the national elections since a new electoral system would be used for the regional elections.[8]
TheSenate approved on final reading Senate Bill No. 2214 on September 6, 2021, proposing the postponement of elections to 2025.[9] A counterpart bill in theHouse of Representatives was approved on September 15.[10] As the two bills were different, it had to be reconciled in aconference committee before being submitted for the president's signature for it to become law, and for it to actually postpone the election. While both bills gave the president of the Philippines the power to appoint the members for the 2019–2022 term, the House bill gave the incumbent presidentRodrigo Duterte that power, while the Senate bill gave the winner of the2022 presidential election that power.[11] In late September, both chambers ratified the conference committee's version of the bill, giving the winning president in the 2022 election the power to appoint the members of the next transitional parliament.[12]
President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law on October 28 the bill postponing the elections to 2025.[13] However Duterte's successor was given the ability still change the parliament's whole composition once they assume office.[14]
Duterte's successor PresidentBongbong Marcos appointed a new set of members for the interim parliament. Forty-nine were reappointed while are 31 new members. The composition of 41 MILF nominees and 39 government nominees were still retained.[15]
In September 2024,Sulu province was excluded from Bangsamoro by aSupreme Court ruling consequentially excluding it from the 2025 elections, citing that its inclusion in the BARMM was unconstitutional as most of its residents voted against joining the region in the2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite.[16] The ruling has led to uncertainty regarding the fate of seven seats allotted to Sulu in the Bangsamoro Parliament.[17]
On October 22, 2024, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority adopted a resolution requesting the national Congress to move the election to 2028 on account of Sulu's exclusion from the BARMM.[18] On November 4, 2024, Senate PresidentChiz Escudero filedSenate bill 2862, which called for the election to be postponed to May 11, 2026 in order for the BARMM "to reconfigure its jurisdictions as well as reallocate" its parliamentary seats following the exclusion of Sulu.[19] A separate bill was also filed in theHouse of Representatives to postpone the election until 2026 by SpeakerMartin Romualdez andLanao del Sur representativeZia Alonto Adiong.[20]
A group of 35 civil society organizations in Mindanao opposed the postponement of the election and were also critical on the progress of decommissioning of the MILF as an armed rebel group.[21]Maguindanao del Sur governorMariam Mangudadatu said that there has been fatal skirmishes involving the MILF since 2022, questioning their legitimacy since their leadership in the transition government would consequentially be extended if the elections is postponed. She also brought up a pledge by presidentBongbong Marcos that the election will be held as planned in 2025.[22]
The Bangsamoro regional government has expressed openness to the postponement stating that it is deferring the "sound discretion" of the national Congress. Concerns were largely on the disentrancement of voters in Sulu, especially in the event the Supreme Court reverse its decision.[23]Mohagher Iqbal of the MILF and also a parliament member was surprised of the initiative of the national congress believing that it would be advantageous to theUnited Bangsamoro Justice Party, the MILF's party, if the election would be held as planned in 2025.[24] On November 21, Basilan governorHadjiman Hataman Salliman, Maguindanao del Norte GovernorAbdulraof Macacua, and Tawi-Tawi GovernorYshmael Sali issued a joint statement supporting the postponement, citing the need to address the distribution of parliamentary seats following the exclusion of Sulu.[25]
On February 16, 2025, COMELEC announced the suspension of ballot-printing for the election after a bicameral conference committee in Congress approved the postponement of the vote.[26] On February 19, PresidentBongbong Marcos signed into law Republic Act No. 12123, officially moving the date of the election to October 13, 2025.[27]
The COMELEC gave a chance to the Bangsamoro Parliament to reallocate the seven parliamentary districts originally allocated for Sulu. The parliament missed two deadlines; on May 30 and on June 15, 2025. COMELEC announced that only 73 out of 80 parliamentary seats will be filled.[28]
On September 15, 2025, the Supreme Court, acting on an petition filed by Bangsamoro MP Lanang Ali Jr., League of Bangsamoro Organizations Secretary General Samsodin Amella, and peace advocate Datuan Magon Jr., issued a temporary restraining order against the Bangsomoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 77, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025, which sought to implement the reallocation of parliamentary districts,[29] prompting the COMELEC to suspend its preparations for the election on September 17.[30] On September 25, COMELEC chair George Garcia said it was "legally and factually impossible" to hold the election as scheduled, citing the TRO by the Supreme Court.[31]
On October 1, 2025, the Supreme Court declared the BAA 77 as well as the preceeding BAA 58 as unconstituional leaving Bangsamoro without a law defining its parliamentary districts and effectively postponing the elections yet again. The high court nevertheless the COMELEC to proceed on the preparations and the conduct of elections not later than March 31, 2026 and ordered the parliament to determine distribution of district parliamentary seats by October 30, 2025.[32]
A total of 80 seats will be contested in the 2025 Bangsamoro elections. The final composition of the parliament after the elections should satisfy the following:[33][34]
TheBangsamoro parliamentary districts were defined on February 28, 2024 via Bangsamoro Act No. 58.[35] The parliamentary districts exist independently from thecongressional districts used to determine representation in the nationalHouse of Representatives.[36]
The following is the distribution for the sectoral representatives seats:[34]
The NMIPs, Traditional leaders, and Ulama representatives shall be elected in their own convention/assembly separate from the parliamentary elections. The names of the elected representatives should be submitted to the Commission on Elections seven days prior to the parliamentary elections and would be proclaimed simultaneously with the rest of the elected members of parliament.[34]
Ballots for the election will include candidates’ photos and the official logos of political parties.[38]
| Activity | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Publication of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (Bangsamoro Autonomy Act 35)[39] | April 17, 2024 | |
| Filing of petition for registration of regional parliament political parties and regional parliament sectoral organizations[40][41] | May 15, 2024 | July 1, 2024 (extended from June 7, 2024[42]) |
| Submission of Sworn Information Update Statement (SIUS) to the Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) and filing of registration or accreditation of a coalition[40] | August 15, 2024 (deadline) | |
| Submission of Manifestation of Intent to Participate in the Parliamentary Election of party representatives[40] | August 30, 2024 (deadline) | |
| Election day | October 13, 2025 | |
The period for the filing of candidacies in the election was initially scheduled from October 1-8, 2024. However, theCommission on Elections subsequently moved the date to November 4-9, 2024 due to the exclusion of Sulu from the BARMM by the Supreme Court.[43]
A gun ban went into effect in Bangsamoro on August 14, 2025, coinciding with the election period, and will last until October 28, 2025.[44] This also applies toIsabela inBasilan, despite the city itself not being part of Bangsamoro.[45] On September 11, 2025, COMELEC placed 12 municipalities in the Bangsamoro under its red areas of concern due to a history of conflict and violence. These included six towns in Lanao del Sur (Masiu,Lumba-Bayabao,Poona Bayabao,Tamparan,Taraka andMulondo), five in Maguindanao del Sur (Paglat,Pandag,Buluan,Datu Paglas andMangudadatu), andAl-Barka in Basilan.[46] Following the Supreme Court's ruling voiding Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts No. 77 and 58, COMELEC said that it would lift all election-related security measures.[47]
The Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) conducted a survey between January 27 and February 15, 2025 asking 2,688 likely voters. Almost half or 47.3% admitted they were completely unaware of how Bangsamoro region's voting process actually works.[48]
When theUnited Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) was asked in May 2021 if they would participate in the not-yet-postponed Bangsamoro elections, they said that they were "ready" but expressed preference that "there would be no election yet", so that they would keep focused on "the delivery of basic services" to residents of Bangsamoro. The UBJP is an affiliate of theMoro Islamic Liberation Front, whose nominees form the majority of theBangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament.[49]
On April 24, 2024, the Bangsamoro Peoples Party (BPP), the Al Ittihad-UKB Party and theSerbisyong Inklusibo–Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP) formed anelectoral alliance for the 2025 election.[50]
Eligible parties should have at least 10,000 members with chapters throughout the Bangsamoro region.[51] This prerequisite remains despite Sulu's exclusion from Bangsamoro in September 2024.[52]
Eight parties have registered with theCommission on Elections as of March 2024.[53] On May 18, 2024,Sulu governorAbdusakur Mahail Tan announced that he would forego another term as governor in the 2025 local election and challenge Murad Ebrahim as Chief Minister during a rally inMaimbung. He received support from theBARMM Grand Coalition.[54] However, Tan became ineligible to run for chief minister following the Supreme Court decision excluding Sulu from the BARMM on September 9, 2024.[55]
Sixteen political groups sought accreditation for the purpose of parliamentary election.[56] TheBARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) registered as a regional party and not as a coalition, although two of its members Al-Ittihad-UKB and SIAP also sought separate accreditations.[57]
As of November 5, 2024, there are eight accredited regional parties, including the BGC.[58][59]
| Name | Affiliation/s | Seats vying | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proportional representation | Single member districts | |||
| Al-Ittihad–UKB Party | BARMM Grand Coalition |  |  | |
| Bangsamoro Party (BaPa) | Moro National Liberation Front | | | |
| Bangsamoro Peoples Democratic Party (Raayat) | | | ||
| Bangsamoro People's Party (BPP) | BARMM Grand Coalition | | | |
| BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC)[60][61] | Al-Ittihad–UKB Party Bangsamoro People's Party Salaam Party Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo Party | | | |
| Mahardika Party | Moro National Liberation Front | | | |
| Moro Ako Party (OK Partylist) | | | ||
| Progresibong Bangsamoro Party (PRO Bangsamoro) | | | ||
| Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo Party (SIAP) | BARMM Grand Coalition | | | |
| United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) | Moro Islamic Liberation Front | | | |
| Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi | National party | | | |
| Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) | National party | | | |
| Name | Affiliation/s | |
|---|---|---|
| Amanat Democratic Party (ADP) | ||
| Partido Bangon Bangsamoro (PBMM) | ||
| Bangsamoro Federal Party | ||
| Indigenous, Settler, Sama and Minorities Alliance Party (ISAMA) | ||
| Indigenous People's Democratic Party (IPDP) | Lumad people | |
| United Advocates for Settler Communities | Settler (non-Moro, non-Lumad) communities | |
| Party | Basilan | Cotabato City | Lanao del Sur | Maguindanao del Norte | Maguindanao del Sur | SGA | Tawi-Tawi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | ||||||||||
| Al Ittahad–UKB Party | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | – | – | – | ||||||||
| Bangsamoro Party | | | | – | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | – | ||||||||
| BARMM Grand Coalition | – | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | – | – | | | | | | – | | | | ||||||||
| Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
| Mahardika Party | – | – | – | – | | – | – | – | – | | – | – | | – | – | | | – | – | | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
| Partido Demokratiko Pilipino | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
| Progresibong Bangsamoro Party | – | | – | – | – | | | – | – | – | | – | | – | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
| Serbisyong Inklusibo–Alyansang Progresibo | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
| United Bangsamoro Justice Party | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | | | | | | | ||||||||
| Independent | | | | | | | | – | – | | | | – | | | | | | | – | – | | – | | | ||||||||
| No. | Party | First nominees[63] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangsamoro Party | Omar Yasser Sema | |
| 2 | Bangsamoro Peoples Democratic Party (Raayat) | Nadia Lorena | |
| 3 | BARMM Grand Coalition | Mamintal Adiong III | |
| 4 | Mahardika Party | Tarhata Maglangit | |
| 5 | Moro Ako Party | Najeeb Taib | |
| 6 | Progresibong Bangsamoro Party | Don Mustapha Loong | |
| 7 | United Bangsamoro Justice Party | Murad Ebrahim | |
The following are regional political parties vying for representation via proportional representation.[64][63]A minimum of 30 percent of each party's nominees should be women.[63] Moro Ako has the highest proportion of women nominees.[65]
| Party | Male nominees | Female nominees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | ||
| Bangsamoro Party | 27 | 67.5% | 13 | 32.5% | |
| Bangsamoro Peoples Democratic Party (Raayat) | 28 | 70% | 12 | 30% | |
| BARMM Grand Coalition | 26 | 65% | 14 | 35% | |
| Mahardika Party | 27 | 67.5% | 13 | 32.5% | |
| Moro Ako Party | 15 | 32.5% | 35 | 67.5% | |
| Progresibong Bangsamoro Party | 28 | 70% | 12 | 30% | |
| United Bangsamoro Justice Party | 28 | 70% | 12 | 30% | |
As of August 2025, the Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC) states that there are no guidelines on how the assemblies for the sectoral representatives are to be convened.[66]
The sectoral seats are planned to be filled sometime on September 2025 with the involved organizations voting among themselves.[67]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(March 2025) |
The traditional leaders sector represent the royal sultanates in Bangsamoro. The following institutions are explicitly named in Section 31 of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.[68]
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(March 2025) |
For this purpose, the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH) shall hold a regional convention of Sultans representing the Sultanates of: a) Sulu b) Maguindanao, Kabuntalan, and Buayan, c) Ranao, and d) Iranun...
 Elections and referendums inBangsamoro | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Local elections | |
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| Autonomous regional elections | |
| Gubernatorial elections | |
| Barangay elections | |
| Sangguniang Kabataan elections | |
| Regional-level plebiscites | |
| Provincial-level plebiscites | |
| Municipal- and city-level plebiscites | |
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