11 | COMELEC proclaims elected ministers, sectoral reps, and party nominees of BARMM parliament
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) officially proclaimed the elected ministers, sectoral representatives, and party nominees in the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on September 15, 2026, shortly after midnight, Wednesday, at the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.marking a major milestone in the transition from appointed to elected parliament of the Bangsamoro region.
A total of 2,018,478 registered voters cast ballots on September 14, representing an 84.34 percent turnout across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
With the transition from the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority to a fully elected Parliament, the new government will now demonstrate that electoral legitimacy can translate into effective, accountable and inclusive governance. One of its first major tasks will be to form a stable governing coalition and elect the Chief Minister, a process that will test the ability of political parties and factions to work together beyond electoral competition.
The Bangsamoro Federal Party (BFP) won 16 Regional Parliamentary Political Party seats, followed by the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) with 15, the BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) with eight, and the Raayat Democratic Party with one.
For district seats, the BFP secured 15, UBJP nine and Serbisyong Inklusibo Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP) six. The Progresibong Bangsamoro Party and Al Ittihad-UKB each won one.
Sectoral representatives included Yul Adelfo Olaya and Mary Ann Arnado for the settler community, while Aida Silongan, Sulffy Abbas, Muhammad Nadzir Ebil and Marjanie Mimbantas-Macasalong won seats for the women, youth, ulama and traditional leaders sectors.
As to regional parliamentary political seats, the UBJP nominees are Ahod “Al-Hajj Murad” B. Ebrahim, Datucan “Mohagher Iqbal” M. Abas, Ali B. Solaiman, . Eduard U. Guerra, Ali D. Ibrahim, Said Z. Salendab, Mohammad S. Yacob, Amir “Gary” A. Balindong, John Anthony “Jet” L. Lim, Haber A. Asarul, Sha Elijah B. Dumama-Alba, Nordjiana L. Dipatuan-Ducol, Raissa H. Hajurie, Said M. Shiek, and Ali O. Salik.
The 16 nominees of BFP are as follows: Suaib L. Oranon, Abdulwahid P. Halil, Akmad A. Brahim, Dan S. Asnawie, Abunawas L. Maslamama, Johari C. Abu, Camid U. Gandamra Jr., Karwin H. Hamjani, Kitem D. Kadatuan Jr., Michael E. Midtimbang, Suraija Reinas S. Hataman, Ma-arouph B. Candao, Alindatu K. Pagayao, Zulfikar-Ali S. Bayam, Jaafar Apollo Mikhail L. Matalam, and Junalyn G. Sumlay.
The BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) party, which got 8 nominees to the parliament, are composed of Mamintal Raki-in Adiong III, Amer Zaakaria Adiong Rakim, Abdulrahman Rubbil S. Mangudadatu, Datu Bimbo Q. Sinsuat, Hanie Ain Bud, Abdel Razi A. Amin, Sittie Aisah L. Pansar, Amilbahar S. Mawallil.
The Bangsamoro Peoples' (Raayat) Democratic Party which got a one seat, will be represented by Jose I. Lorena.
The 80-member Parliament is set to assume office on October 30, 2026. Its members will elect the region’s Chief Minister, marking a key stage in the implementation of parliamentary government in the Bangsamoro.
The election represents a significant development in the political track aspect in the evolution of the Bangsamoro, establishing an elected parliament and advancing the region's transition toward a parliamentary system of government.
Refocusing on normalization aspects
It also places the Bangsamoro peace process at a critical juncture to sustain the gains of the peace agreement while completing remaining commitments, particularly the normalization and socioeconomic reintegration of former combatants. Maintaining peace will require more than the absence of armed conflict; it will depend on providing communities with jobs, education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and meaningful opportunities to participate in government.
Political stability will be equally important. While competition among parties can strengthen democracy, longstanding clan rivalries, factionalism and political violence remain challenges that could undermine this development. The first regular Parliament should therefore establish strong rules on transparency, accountability, public spending and legislative oversight while ensuring that political disputes are resolved through democratic and legal institutions, if not traditional mechanisms. Representation must also remain inclusive, particularly for women, youth, indigenous peoples, settler communities and other sectors of Bangsamoro society.
Priorities for socio-economic reforms
Economic development will become another central priority. The new regional government will need to focus on agriculture, infrastructure, investment, education, tourism and job creation to address persistent poverty and development gaps. At the same time, stronger cooperation between the Bangsamoro and national governments will be essential, particularly on funding, security, infrastructure and the implementation of the peace agreement. BARMM's autonomy will be most effective if it can exercise meaningful self-government and improved intergovernmental relations while maintaining constructive relations with national government.
The result of the election therefore, is not the culmination of the Bangsamoro's political transformation but the beginning of its most important tasks. The first elected parliament will delve into the opportunity of establishing a culture of democratic governance that is transparent, inclusive and responsive to its people. If the new government can maintain peace, strengthen institutions, expand economic opportunities and deliver basic services, the election could become a defining milestone in Mindanao's transition from conflict to self-governance towards concretizing parliamentary autonomy into tangible improvements in the lives of the Bangsamoro people.
Towards the completion of agreements
Following this context, the strategic priority of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) should shift from building the architecture of autonomy to completing and consolidating the peace settlement under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). The election marks a major milestone in the political track of the peace process, although the CAB cannot be considered fully implemented while key normalization commitments remain unfinished. The new elected government should therefore establish a clear completion agenda that identifies outstanding commitments, sets measurable timelines and assigns responsibility for their implementation.
A central focus likely will be the acceleration of normalization, particularly the remaining decommissioning of MILF forces and weapons, socioeconomic assistance and reintegration for former combatants, and development support for conflict-affected communities. Normalization should increasingly move beyond transitional assistance toward sustainable livelihoods, community security and long-term economic integration. This would help ensure that former combatants and their communities have a tangible stake in maintaining peace.
While the CAB was negotiated between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), its implementation must increasingly become a responsibility of the elected Bangsamoro institutions and the wider population with the support of the national goverment in the context of the GPH-MILF Peace Process. The new parliament can help translate remaining commitments into legislation, budgets and regional programs, giving the peace process stronger democratic legitimacy. At the same time, the role of the MILF continue to evolve from an armed revolutionary movement into a political organization operating fully within democratic institutions.
Stronger intergovernmental relations
As such, its relevant for this phase in the political tract to strengthen coordination between BARMM and the national government. A clear CAB completion and normalization framework—with a definitive list of outstanding commitments, implementation timelines, dedicated funding, responsible agencies and independent monitoring—could help move the process from prolonged negotiation toward measurable delivery with strengthened intergovernmental relations to facilitate cooperation and collaboration between different orders of the government. Economic development should be integrated into this framework, with greater emphasis on agriculture, infrastructure, education, enterprise development and job creation so that the dividends of peace become sustainable rather than temporary.
The BARMM, with its peace commitments, focus on transition to consolidation, institution-building to service delivery, negotiation to implementation, and decommissioning to genuine reintegration. The first parliamentary election therefore is not the end of the CAB process but as the institutional foundation for completing it. The measure of success will be for the new regional government to transform the political settlement into lasting peace, inclusive development and accountable self-government—and make the promises of the peace agreement tangible in the everyday lives of Bangsamoro communities. 💜
