Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 77 reconstitutes parliamentary districts in BARMM

On Thursday, Abdulraof Macacua, the Interim Chief Minister of Bangsamoro, signed Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 77 into law, reconstituting parliamentary districts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanaa (BARMM).

The new legislation amends BAA No. 58 and redistributes vacant seats following a Supreme Court decision excluding Sulu from the autonomous region.

Under the amended act, the 32 single-member parliamentary districts are now allocated as follows: nine for Lanao del Sur, five each for Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, four each for Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, three for Cotabato City, and two for the Special Geographic Area.

The law mandates the Commission on Elections to issue guidelines for the implementation of redistricting ahead of the 2025 Bangsamoro elections in October.

Aspirants who have already filed their certificates of candidacy will retain their candidacy within the original district boundaries, regardless of any reassignment due to this new law.

The legislation also authorizes the president to appoint interim parliamentary representatives for newly created districts and grants Congress the power to reallocate seats if Sulu rejoins the autonomous region.