The Bangsamoro Parliament approved before dawn on Tuesday a bill reconfiguring the 32 parliamentary districts in the autonomous region, clearing a major legal hurdle ahead of its first-ever elections.
The measure, Parliament Bill 415, was passed on third and final reading after a marathon session that ended past midnight on Monday. It is intended to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that struck down earlier districting laws and forced the postponement of the Bangsamoro elections to March 2026.
Parliament Bill 415
The high court had earlier declared unconstitutional two enabling measures that sought to redraw parliamentary districts, prompting the delay of what was supposed to be the regionโs inaugural electoral exercise since the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was created in 2019.
Complicating the process was the removal of Sulu from BARMM following a separate Supreme Court decision. While Sulu previously had seven parliamentary districts as one of the regionโs six provinces, the Bangsamoro region is now composed only of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi, along with the cities of Lamitan, Marawi, and Cotabato.
Jet L. Lim, floor leader and spokesperson of the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament, said lawmakers took extra care to ensure that Parliament Bill 415 is โconstitutionally soundโ and aligned with the Supreme Courtโs guidance on setting up parliamentary districts after Suluโs exclusion from the region.
‘Crafted to directly address the legal issues’
Under the newly approved measure, Lanao del Sur will have nine parliamentary districts, while Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur will each have five. Basilan and Tawi-Tawi will each be allocated four districts.
The passage of the bill is seen as a crucial step toward finally holding the long-delayed Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in 2026.
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