Bill moving BARMM polls to Aug. 2025 now in Senate plenary

The bill seeking to reschedule the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections to August 11, 2025 is now in the Senate plenary.

This comes after Senator JV Ejercito reported on Wednesday Committee Report 466, containing Senate Bill 2942 or the bill resetting the BARMM polls by amending Article 16, Section 13 of the Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

"After careful deliberation and consultations with all stakeholders, we have arrived with a committee report that we feel is truly acceptable and inclusive," Ejercito said.

According to Ejercito, the three-month postponement would give significant time to the Commission on Elections to prepare for the elections and the current Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to wrap up their transactions.

Under the measure, the BTA members will serve until their successors are elected and sworn into office.

This, Ejercito said, will allow BTA members to fulfill their duties and ensure smooth transfer of power after the elections.

Allowing this would also prevent the unintended consequences of paralyzing the delivery of public services in the region including the uncertainty on the status and salaries of current employees of the BTA, he added.

Should this bill be enacted, Ejercito said those who filed certificates of candidacies will be automatically considered candidates and nominees to be voted for.

Substitution of candidates and nominees for the BARMM polls will not be allowed, except in cases of death, disqualification, or incapacity.

Last December, the House of Representatives approved a bill rescheduling the BARMM polls from May 2025 to May 2026. — VBL, GMA Integrated News