COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Parliament approved the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2024, which will establish 32 single-member parliamentary districts in the BARMM.
The Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 58 was swiftly signed into law by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim and Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Atty. Pangalian Balindong on Wednesday night, February 28, following its third and final reading approval.
The newly enacted law will serve as the foundational framework for the delineation of the parliamentary districts, aimed at ensuring fair representation for the diverse needs and concerns of the Bangsamoro people.
The 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 Special Geographic Area.
The apportionment of parliamentary districts is based on both population and geographical area, with each district consisting of contiguous, compact, and adjacent areas with a minimum population of 100,000.
Chief Minister Ebrahim reiterated the importance of fair representation, acknowledging the distinct requirements of the Bangsamoro people.
Speaker Balindong echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the creation of 32 single-member parliamentary districts is a bold step toward addressing constituents' concerns with precision and fairness.
Floor Leader and Committee on Rules Chair Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba emphasized the importance of the parliamentary districting bill in establishing a parliamentary form of government.
Dumama-Alba expressed confidence in the region's readiness for the first parliamentary elections in 2025, following the delineation of these parliamentary districts. The Bangsamoro region, which comprises six provinces, three cities, 116 municipalities, and 2,590 barangays, is home to over four million residents.
As outlined in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, the Parliament will consist of 80 members, with 40 seats for party representatives, 32 seats for district representatives, and eight seats for sectoral representatives, each serving a maximum of three years per term. District representatives will be elected through majority votes, requiring voters to be registered in the respective district.
Individuals aspiring to become district representatives must meet specific criteria, including being a registered voter in the said district and having resided in the same area for at least one year. Government Bill No. 267 was introduced in the plenary on December 18 as one of the government's priority bills.
Prior to plenary discussions, the Committee on Rules conducted nine rounds of public consultations across the region, gathering comments and recommendations from the Bangsamoro people. The committee's report incorporated data from the Philippine Statistics Authority and land area information from the Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment.
Floor Leader Dumama-Alba explained the difference between legislative congressional districts and parliamentary districts, stating that congressional district representatives serve in the national government's 250-member House of Representatives, while parliamentary districts will function within the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament following the 2025 regular parliament elections. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)
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