The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Tuesday, July 15, that it will move forward with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections scheduled for October 13, 2025, featuring a reduced slate of 73 contested seats.

This resolution follows the absence of new legislation reallocating the seven parliamentary seats initially designated for the province of Sulu, which was excluded from BARMM after a Supreme Court ruling.

 

Comelec’s Minute Resolution No. 25-0738, dated June 17, 2025, was adopted after thorough deliberation of the strict pre-election timelines looming over the electoral process. The Commission emphasized that the number of district representative seats allocated for the other provinces within BARMM remains intact.

 

The seven district representative seats previously assigned to Sulu are now deemed “temporarily vacant.” According to Comelec, these vacancies may eventually be filled by presidential appointment, a Supreme Court decision, or new legislation from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) or the Philippine Congress.

 

The upcoming parliamentary elections are a pivotal milestone in BARMM’s shift from an interim government to a fully elected parliamentary system. Originally, the Bangsamoro Parliament was structured to have 80 members. The removal of Sulu necessitated adjustments, but no legislative action has yet been taken to reassign its seats ahead of the electoral deadlines.

 

This decision underscores the Commission’s commitment to uphold the electoral timetable while recognizing the evolving political landscape in the Bangsamoro region.