The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that the first-ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be held on September 14, 2026, following the enactment of Republic Act No. 12317.

The law, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., resets the election date to the second Monday of September 2026, marking a key step in the region’s transition to a fully elected parliamentary government.

COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia thanked the President and Congress for the swift approval of the measure, which provides clarity and direction for the long-delayed polls.

The commission confirmed that the elections will be fully automated, using the same Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) and equipment deployed during the May 12, 2025, national and local elections.

Under the law, future BARMM parliamentary elections will be synchronized with national and local elections starting in 2031 and every three years thereafter.

COMELEC is set to release a new calendar of activities in the coming days, including the filing of certificates of candidacy, the implementation of the gun ban, and the official campaign period.