Special session sought to pass Bangsamoro districting law before year ends

Philstar.com

December 27, 2025 | 10:33am

BARMM, Philippines — The Interim Chief Minister here has formally requested the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) parliament to convene a special session during the last three days of December in a bid to pass the proposed BARMM districting law.

Amid poll delay and timing restrictions concerns by stakeholders, ICM Abdulraof Macacua filed a letter dated December 22 addressed to Speaker Mohammad Yacob invoking Rule III, Section 7 of BTA parliament’s rules, procedures, and practices in seeking approval for a special session on December 29, 2025.

“And, if necessary, with possible extensions on December 30 and 31, “ wrote Macacua.

The ICM’s request reportedly intends to resume discussion and consultation on the proposed bills to provide a districting law that will guide the distribution of parliamentary districts in BARMM and to establish a foundational law for the first-ever Bangsamoro elections next year.

“This is to continue the deliberations on the proposed bill providing for the redistricting of parliamentary districts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Macacua stated in his letter.

Macacua also seeks Speaker Yacob’s favorable consideration of what he described as an important and urgent request.

Macacua’s move comes after BTA Parliament ended its regular session on December 18 without passing the districting bill, despite earlier commitments to enact it before the end of the year in compliance with a Supreme Court directive.

The legislature adjourned for the holiday break and is set to resume regular sessions in January 2026.

At least six districting bills have been consolidated into BTA Bill No. 415, which provides for 32 single-member parliamentary districts and has been approved at the committee level. The measure has been forwarded to the plenary for deliberations.

However, the push to pass the bill before year-end has drawn concern from several officials, citing legal constraints and the risk of further delays of the electoral process.

Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong has warned that failure to meet prescribed timelines could disenfranchise voters and undermine the region’s transition to a fully elected government.

Adiong said that the majority of provincial governors in BARMM want the parliamentary elections to proceed as scheduled in March 2026, stressing that communities across the region are eager to choose their own leaders after years under an interim political arrangement.

“If you ask the people, they already want to choose their own leaders. That is why we hope the districting bill will be finalized soon so it can be scheduled in Congress and enacted into law,” Adiong said.

The governor added that nearly all governors share the view that elections should not be postponed again.