COTABATO CITY (January 22) — Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has signed into law the Bangsamoro redistricting measure that formally defines 32 parliamentary districts across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a key legal requirement for the region’s parliamentary elections.
Signed Tuesday at the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) session hall, Bangsamoro Proposed Bill No. 415 is now enacted as Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 86 of 2026, officially titled “An Act Providing for the Apportionment of Parliamentary District Seats in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).”
The new law allocates parliamentary district seats as follows: Lanao del Sur – nine; Maguindanao del Norte – five; Maguindanao del Sur – five; Basilan – four; Tawi-Tawi – four; Cotabato City – three; and the Special Geographic Area – two.
“May this law serve the Bangsamoro people with fairness, stability, and purpose,” Macacua said during the signing.
Before the ceremony, Macacua told regional lawmakers that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the approval of the measure, describing it as “good news for the people of the Bangsamoro Region.”
The signing was witnessed by Mohammad Yacob, Speaker of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, and Muslim Guiamaden, the region’s Wali or ceremonial head.
Why this law matters
The redistricting law sets the legal and political groundwork for credible, representative, and orderly parliamentary elections in BARMM, a critical milestone as the region moves from transition governance to a fully elected parliament.
By clearly defining parliamentary districts, the measure ensures fair representation across provinces and areas, prevents overlapping jurisdictions, and provides election authorities with a firm basis for planning voter registration, precinct allocation, and candidate eligibility.
Regional officials say the law also strengthens institutional stability, reassuring both citizens and stakeholders that the Bangsamoro political system is taking root under clear rules anchored in autonomy and national law.
As BARMM prepares for the next phase of self-governance, the act is seen as a key step in transforming the peace agreement into functioning democratic institutions that reflect the will of the Bangsamoro people.
