The first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), initially set for March, are unlikely to proceed as scheduled and may be postponed again to May, September or October this year, according to the Commission on Elections and Congress.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the poll body has proposed a reset due to legal and operational issues, including the late passage of the Bangsamoro districting law by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.
House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chair Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said he will file a bill to reset the elections and vowed to prioritize its passage.
Garcia explained that the delay conflicts with election laws restricting changes to electoral boundaries close to polling dates and hampers Comelec’s preparations.
Election stakeholders in BARMM have urged that the BPE be held within the year, warning that repeated postponements deny residents their right to choose their leaders.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 18, 2026
