The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved on third and final reading on Tuesday afternoon, March 10 a bill resetting the first regular parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Ganernering 247 affirmative votes during plenary session Tueaday was House Bill (HB) No. 8220. It received zero negative votes and just two abstentions.

Shepherding the bill to its final passage in the legislative chamber were Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos, the majority leader; and Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, the bill's principal author and sponsor.

The meaaure, which underwent second reading approval in plenary last March 3, sets the date of the first regular parliamentary elections in BARMM on the second Monday of September 2026, and every three years thereafter.

It directs the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to promulgate the rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections and enforce them pursuant to national laws, the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.

Marcos says the measure seeks to keep the peace process anchored on a clear democratic mandate while giving election authorities the legal basis to begin preparations early.

For his part, Adiong said the bill was designed to ensure that the very first regular BARMM parliamentary elections can take place on the second Monday of September, with both chambers (House and Senate) now positioned to align the final version once the Senate completes its own action.

“This bill protects the integrity of the transition by putting the first parliamentary elections on firm legal ground, so the people of Bangsamoro can finally choose their leaders through the ballot,” Adiong, House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chairman, said.

“This bill allows that the first BARMM elections will take place in September this year, and with the Senate’s approval, we are ready for the bicam so we can deliver a clear and credible path to the people of the region,” he said.

HB No.8220 amends Section 13, Article XVI of Republic Act (RA) No. 11054, also known as the BOL.

For purposes of synchronization, the measure provides that the regular elections for the Bangsamoro Government shall be held on the second Monday of May 2031 and every three years thereafter, with officials in later cycles assuming office at noon of the 30th day of June following their election.

This proposed timeline is meant to stabilize governance and avoid repeated resets that weaken public confidence.

The bill also provides for a holdover mechanism during the extension of the transition period, allowing the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to continue as interim government in BARMM until their successors have been elected and qualified.

However, interim members may be replaced by the President or have their tenure shortened by election to another office or by other causes.

To support operational readiness, the measure provides that the automated election system used in the May 12, 2025 national and local elections shall likewise be used for the first BARMM parliamentary election, including the machines, devices and equipment, as well as the suppliers and providers involved in their operation and maintenance, to ensure consistency, efficiency and integrity in the process.

At the same time, the bill gives Comelec flexibility to explore other modes of conducting the election, such as manual election, if the commission determines ahead of the BARMM parliamentary elections that automation is no longer practicable based on surrounding circumstances, an option meant to keep the elections doable even under shifting conditions.