Comelec: Challenges seen in BARMM poll preps amid changes to Bangsamoro poll code

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday welcomed the inclusion of a bill seeking to reset the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections to September in the government‘s priority measures, even as it noted some challenges in preparing for the polls with the amendments to the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.

At the third Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) full meeting on Tuesday, President Ferdinand “Bongbong'” Marcos Jr. approved 21 priority bills, including the proposed bills resetting the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Base sa ating impormasyon, mukhang si Presidente mismo ang nagsabi na kung kakailanganin na mag-certify siya bilang urgent ang batas na ito ay gagawin niya para lamang masigurado na magkaroon ng elections sa September na ito,” said Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia in an ambush interview.

“’Yun ay welcome na welcome samin sapagkat kailangan na kailangan naming ng batas kaagad sapagakat dyan magsisismula ang mga pagkilos ng Comelec base sa mga detalye na gagawin dapat namin,” he added.

In January, the poll body postponed the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections for the fourth time, citing legal and operational constraints amid the delayed passage of the BARMM redistricting law.

Despite the postponement, the Comelec said it is prepared to conduct the inaugural parliamentary polls if moved to September this year.

The Comelec noted some challenges in preparing for the polls following the approval of Bangsamoro Act No. 88, which introduced amendments to the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, including the removal of the “none of the above” (NOTA) option and changes in the mode of electing sectoral representatives.

“Technically, kinakailangan by June 1 mayroon na kaming final list sa lahat – parliamentary district, political parties at sectoral upang mailagay na yan sa database na gagamitin sa automated elections. Dapat by June 1, masimulan na makapag-imprenta,” Garcia said.

(Technically, we need the final list of parliamentary district, political parties and sectoral organizations by June 1 to include that in the database for the automated elections. By June 1, the printing of ballots should start.)

“Nangangahulugan, meron lang kaming March-April-May para mag-accredit ng political parties at sectoral organizations,” he added.

(This means we only have March-April-May to accredit political parties and sectoral organizations.)

Apart from the time constraints, Garcia said the poll body will be facing a challenge in printing the ballots for sectoral parties, as they are expecting at least 200 organizations to be accredited to run for the BARMM polls.  

“Dati hindi sila ihahalal at sila ang mamimili by themselves. Kung ihahahalal sila ngayon, yan ay magiging problema ng Comelec,” he said.

(They were not supposed to be elected before and was supposed to be chosen by the members of the sector. But now they changed it and wants the sectoral organizations to be elected. That poses a problem to Comelec.)

“Gumagawa pa kami ng paraaan kung paano masosolusyunan sapagkat di ito nakasama sa budget ng Comelec… Ang problema rin kung kaya bang i-print nang ganito kahaba ng machine ng National Printing Office (NPO),” he added.

(We are now formulating ways to resolve this because that is not included in our budget. We are also facing challenges in the printing of ballots since the machines of NPO cannot print a lengthy ballot.)

On January 20, BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua signed into law Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 86 of 2026, which defined the 32 parliamentary districts in the autonomous region. It will also now serve as the basis for the inaugural parliamentary elections.

Under the new law, parliamentary seats are allocated as follows: nine for Lanao del Sur; five each for Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur; four each for Basilan and Tawi-Tawi; three for Cotabato City; and two for the Special Geographic Area. — JMA, GMA Integrated News