COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Parliament has approved on third and final reading two election measures, one removing the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option from official ballots and another amending major provision of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code governing political parties, party representation, and sectoral seats as the region prepares for its first parliamentary elections.
Both bills were certified as urgent by Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, allowing their immediate approval after second reading.
Parliament Bill No. 396, which removes the NOTA option from the ballot, was approved with 40 votes in favor, two against, and no abstentions.
PB No. 419, which introduces amendments to the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, garnered 32 affirmative votes, six negative votes, and no abstentions.
The measures amend provisions of Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 35, or the Bangsamoro Electoral Code of 2023, which prescribes the structural, functional, and procedural principles governing the conduct of elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referenda, and recall proceedings, and promotes the formation of principled political parties in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
Before the deliberations of PB No. 419 in the plenary, the Committee on Amendments, Revision, and Codification of Laws conducted consultations with the public in all provinces, engaged with stakeholders, and discussed the provisions with experts to ensure the amendments reflected the needs of the Bangsamoro people and the practical realities of election administration.
Removal of NOTA from official ballots
Under the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, voters were given the option to select NOTA on the official ballot.
The newly approved measure, PB No. 396, removes NOTA option entirely.
PB No. 396 amends Section 14, Article VII of the electoral code, specifying that official ballots for the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections shall contain only the names of candidates.
For political party representatives, the ballots shall include the logos of their respective political parties.
The law directs the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), through the Bangsamoro Electoral Office (BEO), to immediately revise the ballots to reflect the change.
Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia said that the Bangsamoro Electoral Code merely provides for the inclusion of NOTA in the official ballot but does not specify who would assume office or how seats would be filled in the event that NOTA wins, creating uncertainty in the conduct and outcome of the parliamentary elections.
Deputy Speaker Baintan Adil-Ampatuan, one of the bill’s principal authors, explained that retaining NOTA could result in unfilled seats.
Ampatuan said that under existing law, if NOTA or abstentions garnered the majority of votes, the second placer could still be proclaimed the winner.
She added that removing the NOTA option would be more advantageous, considering that BARMM will be holding its first parliamentary elections.
Changes to political parties and representation
PB No. 419 amends several sections of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code governing political parties, party representation, and sectoral seats.
The measure clarifies that incumbent members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) who file certificates of candidacy for the first parliamentary elections-including those holding executive positions in the Cabinet or other offices-will not be considered resigned, ensuring continuity while seeking elective posts.
The bill requires all existing political parties, organizations, or coalitions that want to join the first parliamentary elections to register and get new accreditation with COMELEC through the Bangsamoro Registration and Accreditation Committee (BRAC) under the updated rules.
Parties that fail to comply will not be allowed to participate. COMELEC will give them up to 60 days to complete the process after the implementing rules are released.
The amendments reduce the minimum number of members required to establish a regional political party from 10,000 to 5,000, provided that members are residents and registered voters in BARMM and distributed across provinces and cities.
Parties must also establish provincial and city chapters in all provinces and cities, and municipal chapters in a majority of municipalities in each province.
Lawmakers emphasized that the amendments did not reduce the required representation of women in political parties.
The revised law retains the existing provision in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code requiring political parties to ensure that at least 30 percent of their nominees are women, with a practical expectation that at least one in every three nominees be a woman.
Party representation threshold
The measure lowers the vote requirement for parties to win seats in Parliament.
A party now needs only 2.5 percent of the total valid votes in the party system elections to qualify for one of the 40 reserved party representative seats, down from the previous 4 percent.
Deputy Floor Leader Rasol Mitmug Jr. said the change gives smaller parties a better chance to win, while making sure the distribution of seats remains fair.
Sectoral representation reforms
The amendments clarify the election of sectoral representatives.
Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs) will continue to elect representatives through their sectoral assembly. All other sectoral representatives will be elected through a direct plurality of valid votes.
Candidates must be members of a regional political party or a sectoral party or organization accredited by COMELEC and certified by the appropriate ministry or office based on their advocacy track record.
For the first parliamentary elections, the amended law provides that the election of sectoral representatives-except for NMIPs-will be synchronized with the parliamentary elections and conducted using an automated election system.
PB No. 419 also revokes and cancels all previously issued certifications for sectoral organizations and sectoral wings of political parties.
A new certification process will be required under stricter timelines, including a non-extendible 15-day period for certifying offices to act on applications.
Lawmakers said the swift passage of the two measures completes major revisions to the Bangsamoro Electoral Code ahead of the region’s first parliamentary elections, providing clearer rules on ballots, political party participation, and sectoral representation under the parliamentary system.
COMELEC Chair Garcia earlier announced the postponement of the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections originally set for March 30, 2026, but lawmakers said preparations continue in earnest. Despite the postponement, lawmakers said preparations are ongoing for the first parliamentary elections, during which the Bangsamoro people will exercise the democratic process to elect their representatives to the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)
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