The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) lauded the Senate’s approval of a bill resetting the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to September 2026.
“With the bill’s approval, we are providing the necessary time to resolve crucial voter registration requirements and other preparations, ensuring that no Bangsamoro voice is left behind,” said OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in a statement.
Senate Bill No. 1823, approved on Monday, sets the first regular election for the Bangsamoro government on the second Monday of September 2026, with elections to be held every three years thereafter.
Galvez described the resetting of the elections as a “strategic move to ensure that the transition process is inclusive, legally sound, and fully prepared for the historic exercise of democracy.”
He emphasized that holding the elections is vital to the legitimacy and long-term stability of the Bangsamoro government.
“This milestone brings us one step closer to fulfilling the aspirations of our brothers and sisters in the BARMM to determine their own future and strengthen the foundations of lasting peace in Mindanao,” Galvez added.
Originally slated for 2022, the Bangsamoro elections were repeatedly delayed due to legal and administrative setbacks, including a Supreme Court ruling voiding BARMM’s districting laws and the exclusion of Sulu province from the region.