Diane Hora | iMINDSPH
Cotabato City —The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is now ready for its first parliamentary election in 2025, says BTA Floor Leader and Committee on Rules Chair, Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama Alba following the approval of Parliament Bill No. 267 on its 3rd and final reading, Wednesday night.
"As i have always explained yung ating pagpasa ng parliarmentary districting bill ang bubuo sa ating parliamentary form of government dahil yung 32 seats ay finally identified and determined na," said Dumama-Alba.
BTA Bill No. 267, focused on establishing 32 parliamentary districts in BARMM, received 47 yes votes, one dissenting vote, and three abstentions during the plenary voting in the BTA parliament last night after over seventy days since the proposal was introduced to the parliament on December 18, 2023, and underwent rigorous scrutiny during plenary interpellations.
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim and BTA Speaker Pangalian Balindong immediately signed the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2024 into law.
“Ngayon, masasabi na natin na handa na tayo para sa election sa taong 2025. We have to be ready, we have no choice but to be ready. Meron pong statement ang chairman ng COMELEC, at sinabi nila na ang hinihintay na lamang talaga nila is ang parliamentary districts. Electorally, bilang isang parliament form of government, ito na lamang talaga ang bubuo, dahil mayron na tayong electoral code, unti-unti nanang nabubuo ang political parties natin,“ Dumama-Alba added.
The 32 parliamentary districts in BARMM, as outlined in the approved measure, are based on population and geographical area, with each district being contiguous, compact, and adjacent and having a population of no less than one hundred thousand.
Under the new law, the 32 parliamentary districts are distributed as follows: three in Basilan, seven in Sulu, three in Tawi-Tawi, four each in Maguindanao del Norte and del Sur, eight in Lanao del Sur, two in Cotabato City, and one in the SGA.
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao comprises six provinces, three cities, 116 municipalities, and 2,590 barangays, with more than four million residents.
As stipulated in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the BARMM Parliament will consist of eighty members: 40 seats for party representatives, 32 seats for district representatives, and eight seats for sectoral representatives, each serving a three-year term.
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