THE House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to postpone the first general elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) by a year to 2026.
In a 198-4-0 vote, lawmakers approved House Bill (HB) No. 11144, which proposes that the general elections of BARMM be held on the second Monday of May 2026, and to be subsequently held every three years after.
Congressmen moved to defer BARMM’s elections after the Philippine Supreme Court excluded Sulu province from the autonomous region after it ruled that its constituents rejected a 2019 plebiscite under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
The proposal authorizes President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to appoint 80 interim members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, while no successors have been elected, according to the proposed law.
Meanwhile, lawmakers also approved on second reading a bill seeking to reorganize the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to be the country’s primary socioeconomic planning agency.
HB No. 11199 proposes that NEDA be organized into the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, being tasked to “formulate the long-term vision and development framework” of the Philippines.
During the House plenary’s period of amendments into the bill, Bukidnon Rep. Jose Manuel F. Alba recommended the Agriculture secretary be included as a member of the proposed economic development council.
Its counterpart bill, Senate Bill No. 2878, has already secured third reading approval. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
