Galvez lauds House bill resetting BARMM polls

“OPAPRU extends its deepest gratitude to the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy and Majority Floor Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, for passing the bill resetting the first regular parliamentary elections in BARMM on the second Monday of September 2026,” Galvez said in a statement.

Galvez also thanked Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, principal author of House Bill 8220, “for the unwavering commitment and sense of urgency he has shown in ensuring the bill’s passage.”

He specifically lauded Adiong for helping his fellow legislators understand the profound significance of the BARMM elections and how they will enable the people of the Bangsamoro to chart the socioeconomic and political future of the region.

With both the Senate and House versions of the measure having passed third and final reading, it will only be a matter of days before the measures are consolidated into a new law.

READ: House OKs bill moving 1st BARMM parliamentary polls to September

“With the approval of the House of Representatives and the Senate of their respective bills setting the date of the BARMM polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can now focus on the equally important task of informing the public about the guidelines for the elections and laying the groundwork to ensure that this highly anticipated political exercise will be held in a peaceful, orderly, and credible manner,” Galvez said.

He recalled that since the creation of BARMM seven years ago, the region has undergone a remarkable transformation, turning from a once conflict-ridden area into a showcase of peace and development.

“We believe that the upcoming regional elections will allow the region to sustain and build on these gains, while enabling its leadership to implement policies that bring greater inclusivity, prosperity, and stability,” Galvez said.

Both the House and Senate versions set the second Monday of September as the date for BARMM parliamentary elections.

“OPAPRU shares in the great sense of urgency of the Senate and the House of Representatives to finalize the bill, especially at this critical period when the region is preparing for a transition that will finally realize the long-held aspirations of its more than two million citizens to fully exercise their inherent right to self-governance and self-determination,” Galvez said.

The Bangsamoro Peoples Party (BPP), one of the regional parties actively preparing for the historic BARMM elections, issued a statement commending the House “for its swift and decisive action in passing the measure.”

“We join the Bangsamoro people in commending the House of Representatives for its swift and decisive action in passing, on third and final reading, the measure,” said Member of Parliament Rasol Mitmug Jr., secretary general of the BPP.

He said the unified stance of both chambers of Congress represents a significant victory for the peace process.

“We strongly support the conduct of an automated election in the Bangsamoro, as it will help ensure transparency, efficiency, and credibility in this historic democratic exercise,” Mitmug said.

“This legislative consensus provides much-needed legal clarity and breathing room to ensure that our transition from an interim government to a democratically elected Parliament is not just fast, but firm, inclusive, and credible,” he added.

He urged all stakeholders, including civil society, political parties, and the youth, to remain engaged.

“Let us use the coming months to sharpen our platforms and unite our communities. The Bangsamoro is ready. September is our time,” Mitmug said. /mcm