Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has said that it is up for the Congress to decide if it will further extend the suspension of elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
"That is now in the hands of the Congress, 'yung [the] BARMM extension or suspension [of the elections]. They're carefully studying that," he told reporters on Monday, Dec. 30.
Bersamin said that while lawmakers asked for Malacañang's input regarding the possibility of postponing the upcoming May 2025 polls in the region, he said, President Marcos is still letting lawmakers to come up with their own decision.
But so far, the proposal is still under study and no decision has been made. He is also not aware that Marcos certified the bill as urgent.
What's important for the President now, Bersamin said, is that there remains no fighting in the region.
“The President gives the highest value to the BARMM. He is very happy that there is no fighting. He is very happy that there no violence, no bloody encounters. So, he wants that to work, to succeed," he said.
"The BARMM project is a big one—it is not a mere project," he added.
In November, House Speaker Martin Romualdez reportedly filed a bill that sought to postpone the BARMM elections from May 12, 2025 to May 11, 2026 upon the request of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).
Romualdez said it was not a delay in progress "but rather a necessary step to ensure that the foundations we are building for BARMM are solid and capable of supporting a sustainable autonomous government."
The BTA is the interim regional government of the BARMM, pending the elections of its own officials.
Romualdez said the measure would allow the BTA to address key governance, electoral, and administrative issues.
"This legislation responds to the unique context of the Bangsamoro, allowing the region to uphold its autonomy while also adhering to the highest standards of governance within the Philippines,” he said.