Bill resetting BARMM polls to Oct ’25 gets Senate nod

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THE Senate yesterday approved on third and final reading the bill seeking to postpone to October this year the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, which is set to be held simultaneously with the May 12 national and local elections.

The Senate measure sets the BARMM parliamentary polls to October 13, 2025.

Eighteen senators voted in the affirmative to support the rescheduling of the BARMM elections, while one voted against.

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Under the proposed Senate Bill No. 2942, the next BARMM polls will be synchronized with the 2028 national elections, and every three years thereafter.

SBN 2942 said the terms of those who will be elected in the elections will start on October 30 this year.

In the same bill, the Senate said officials of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority will continue serving during the transition period until their successors are elected in October, unless they are replaced by President Marcos Jr., or their tenure is shortened by their election to a different position.

The Senate version of the bill is different from the measure approved by the House of Representatives last year, which seeks to defer the BARMM parliamentary elections to May 2026.

The President has certified as urgent the approval of the Senate version.

Senate President Francis Escudero has earlier suggested that the House adopt the Senate version so they can forego with bicameral conference discussions to reconcile the differing versions of the bill and expedite the ratification of the measure and its transmittal to the Palace.

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