President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr has signed a law resetting the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to Oct. 13, 2025, the Palace confirmed yesterday.
In a message to Palace reporters, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Mr. Marcos signed Republic Act No. 12123, which amends the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
The law was a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2942 and House Bill No. 11144, which both legislative chambers passed earlier in February.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will oversee the synchronized polls alongside the 2025 national elections and issue regulations for the conduct of the BARMM vote.
During the transition period, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) will remain as the interim government until new officials are elected. However, interim members may be replaced by the president.
The law also includes provisions on the allocation of the province of Sulu’s share in block grants, the status of candidates who previously filed for parliamentary seats, and the treatment of the 2025 parliamentary elections as a continuation of the 2022 local elections.
Any funding needed to implement the law will be sourced from the existing budget of Comelec, with further appropriations subject to the national budget process.
The law takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the House version’s principal author, said the postponement of BARMM elections “would allow for more time for the promotion of broader participation from political parties and the electorate, and enhance their understanding of new electoral processes.”
In an earlier statement, he explained that it would also give concerned authorities a chance to resolve emerging issues arising from the Supreme Court’s (SC) final decision excluding the province of Sulu from BARMM.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Malacañang confirms Marcos’ approval of BARMM election reset.”
