Senate OKs bill resetting 2026 BARMM polls to Sept. 14

The Senate on Monday unanimously approved a bill resetting the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to September 14, 2026, and every three years thereafter.

Voting 21-0-0, senators passed Senate Bill No. 1823 on third and final reading, days after it was approved on second reading on February 25.

In explaining his vote, Senator Joel Villanueva said the measure would help strengthen democracy in the autonomous region.

“Democracy demands preparation. It requires clarity in representation and institutions that are fully equipped to carry out the will of the people,” Villanueva said.

“This measure is not about delaying democracy, but about strengthening it. Let us view this reset as a commitment to genuine democracy, where the people of BARMM can participate fully, fairly, and confidently in choosing their leaders,” he added.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in January formally postponed the first-ever Bangsamoro elections for the fourth time, citing “legal and operational” constraints following the delayed passage of the BARMM redistricting law.

Comelec welcomed the Senate’s approval of the bill and expressed hope that the House of Representatives would pass its counterpart measure.

“Sana po makapag-pass din ng kanilang version ang House of Representatives upang kaagad maging batas,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia told GMA News Online.

(We hope the House of Representatives can also pass its version so it can immediately be enacted into law.)

In October 2025, the Supreme Court ordered the postponement of the Bangsamoro elections originally set for October 13 after declaring two districting laws—Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts (BAA) 58 and 77—unconstitutional.

BAA 77, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Act of 2025, amended BAA 58 and redistricted vacant seats following a Supreme Court ruling excluding Sulu from the Bangsamoro region.

The High Court also directed the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to pass a redistricting bill by October 30 and ordered the Comelec to continue preparations and conduct the parliamentary elections no later than March 31, 2026.—MCG, GMA Integrated News