Philippines poll body may hold manual voting in Muslim region to meet 2026 deadline
The Philippines’ Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering holding a manual parliamentary election in Bangsamoro
MANILA, Philippines (MNTV) — The Philippines’ Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering holding a manual parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) next year to meet the Supreme Court’s March 31, 2026 deadline, according to Newsline Philippines.
Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body is studying two contingency options to ensure compliance with the high court’s order.
“We are studying the possibility of holding a manual election to comply with the Supreme Court decision,” Laudiangco said.
“The second plan is to move the election date if there is really not enough time to do it in March.”
The Supreme Court earlier directed Comelec to hold BARMM’s first parliamentary elections by March 31, 2026 — months before the national polls — after ruling that the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act Nos. 58 and 77 were unconstitutional.
The court also gave the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) until October 30 to pass a new law redistricting BARMM, which will determine the number and boundaries of parliamentary seats up for election.
Laudiangco warned that if the new law is finalized after the deadline, Comelec will have little time to prepare, especially for an automated election that requires ballot printing, machine configuration, and voter education.
“If the law comes out late, we might not have enough time to print ballots, configure machines, and train teachers and electoral boards,” he said.
Given the tight timeline, Laudiangco said manual voting may be more practical, particularly since BARMM voters will only be choosing two sets of representatives — one for regional political parties and another for district representatives.
He added that manual elections remain feasible in smaller or geographically challenging areas and could still ensure transparency and accuracy under strict Comelec supervision.
Why the BARMM polls matter
The 2026 vote will mark the first-ever parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro region, formally transitioning the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) into a regular, elected government under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
It will serve as a critical test of governance for the Muslim-majority region, established in 2019 following decades of peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Comelec reiterated its commitment to conducting a credible and peaceful election, whether manual or automated.
“The goal is to ensure that the people of Bangsamoro will finally elect their first set of parliament members in a fair, transparent, and peaceful manner,” Laudiangco said.
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