BARMM Parliament approves redistricting bill

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 20 Aug) — Just weeks before the first-ever regional parliamentary elections on October 13, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) approved Tuesday night the reconfiguration of the parliamentary districts in the region.

Members of Parliament cast their votes for Parliament Bill 351, which reconstituted the district seats in the BARMM, on Tuesday evening (19 August 2025). Photo from BTA Facebook page

The Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025 was approved on third and final reading, with 35 affirmative votes, one “No” vote, and no abstentions.

The bill would reconfigure the 32 parliamentary districts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has issued a certificate of urgency, prompting the swift approval of the measure.

Parliament Bill No. 351 amends Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 58, reallocating the seven parliamentary district seats originally reserved for Sulu following the Supreme Court’s decision September last year to exclude the province from the BARMM.

Based on the new law, there will be nine districts 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.

According to Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo, chairman of the Bangsamoro Parliament’s Local Government Committee, the passage of the redistricting bill was one of the key promises of the extended transition parliament.

“We have fulfilled our mandate,” Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo posted on his Facebook page.

“This is the last step for the Parliament to ensure that the elections will take place in October,” he added.

The approved version of the law is based on the latest 2024 population census from the Philippine Statistics Authority. It also includes a transitory provision that allows Congress to allocate at least seven parliamentary districts should Sulu rejoin the BARMM.

The Parliament is expected to send a copy of the bill to the Comelec for election administration.

Sittie Fahanie Uy-Oyod, chairperson of the Committee on Amendments, Revision, and Codification of Laws, hopes that Comelec will act on it in time for the elections, although Comelec previously stated that the elections would still proceed even without a redistricting law.

With the passage of PB No. 351, the 80 seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament will be completed, consisting of 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and 8 sectoral representatives. (Ferdinandh Cabrera with reports from Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)