MANILA (May 21) — The Commission on Elections is aiming for an unusually fast turnaround in the first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, targeting the proclamation of all winners within two days after the Sept. 14 vote.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said the poll body hopes to proclaim winners in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s 32 parliamentary districts on election night itself — a move meant to immediately set the stage for the formation of the region’s new government.
“As much as we want to, we would like to proclaim the elected parliamentary district representatives in the 32 parliamentary districts on the night of Sept. 14,” Garcia said.
The commission is also targeting the proclamation of the remaining winners — including party-list and sectoral representatives — by Sept. 16.
“I hope we can do that, in at least two days we can proclaim all those who are eligible throughout the Bangsamoro so that they can elect a chief minister,” Garcia added.
The accelerated timetable underscores the political significance of the region’s first parliamentary polls under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, where elected lawmakers will choose the next chief minister after the transition government’s term ends.
BARMM voters will elect 32 district representatives, 40 party representatives, and eight sectoral representatives in the historic exercise.
Garcia also said the Comelec plans to begin printing official ballots by the first week of July at the National Printing Office. The ballots will measure 27 inches long due to the large number of candidates and party groups.
Election officials aim to complete ballot printing by the third week of July and begin deployment by early August.
Meanwhile, the automated counting machines supplied by Miru Systems are already undergoing testing at the company’s warehouse in Biñan, Laguna. The same machines were used during the May 2025 midterm elections.
Garcia said the commission will also conduct mock elections and hardware acceptance tests ahead of the polls as part of preparations for what is expected to be one of the country’s most closely watched regional elections.
