The Senate on Monday, March 2, approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 1823, which resets Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao's (BARMM) first regular parliamentary elections to the second Monday of September this year.

During Monday's plenary session, 21 senators voted in favor of the proposed measure.

Recently, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, the bill's sponsor, expressed confidence that the Senate’s move to reset the first regular elections in BARMM will stand on solid legal ground and will not be struck down by the Supreme Court (SC) as unconstitutional.

This was after Senator Rodante Marcoleta expressed apprehensions that the bill could be rendered pointless if Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 86, the law that redraws BARMM’s parliamentary districts after a Supreme Court ruling excluded Sulu from the region, is later challenged before the High Court and struck down as unconstitutional.

“We will not be able to predict if someone will question this law and, of course, BAA 86. But I believe the Members of Parliament or the Bangsamoro Transition Authority were able to comply with the requirement of the Supreme Court to address the issues of unconstitutionality, particularly sa gerrymandering,” Zubiri explained.

“Talagang tinanggal na po nila yung malalayong lugar at sinama na po nila ang mga districts na contiguous (They really removed the far-flung areas and instead included the contiguous districts). So I trust the wisdom of this new BAA 86 to be compliant with the constitutional requirement brought about by the Supreme Court ruling,” he added.

BAA 77, the redistricting law before BAA 86, was earlier declared unconstitutional by the High Court, which led to the cancellation of the BARMM parliamentary elections last Oct. 13, 2025. A lack of a valid districting law set off a scramble to address districting and election rules within the transition framework.

Zubiri chaired the subcommittee under the Senate Committee on Local Government that heard and approved SB 1823, gathering stakeholders in the Bangsamoro region for a hearing that lasted for more than four hours.

Meanwhile, in his explanation of his "yes" vote, Senator Joel Villanueva expressed support for the bill and its sponsor for his steadfast leadership and commitment in advancing this important reform.

"Ginoong Pangulo, tayo po ay sumusuporta sa isang prosesong sisiguraduhin na ang bawat boto ay tunay na mabibigyang-halaga. Naniniwala po tayo na ang demokrasya ay pinakamatatag kung ang mga pundasyon nito ay matibay at maayos na naitatag (Mr. President, we support a process that will ensure every vote is truly valued. We believe that democracy is strongest when its foundations are solid and properly established)," he said.

"Mr. President, democracy demands preparation. It requires clarity in representation and institutions that are fully equipped to carry out the will of the people. This measure is not about delaying democracy, rather, it is about strengthening it. Let us view this reset as a commitment to genuine democracy, one where the people of BARMM are able to participate fully, fairly, and confidently in choosing their leaders," he added.