Constitutional Mandate

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provided the basis for the creation of an autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao, consisting of provinces, cities, municipalities, and geographical areas sharing common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures, and other relevant characteristics within the framework of this Constitution and the national sovereignty as well as territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines. (Article X, Section 15)

Legal Mandate

The Bangsamoro Organic Law (also known as Republic Act No. 11054, or BOL for short), as in previous statutes that were enacted in the creation of an organic act for Muslim Mindanao, defined the basic structure of government for the region consisting of the executive department and legislative assembly, both of which shall be elective and representative of the constituent political units.

For the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM, the Legislative Power is vested in the Bangsamoro Parliament (BOL, Article VII, Sec. 5). Executive Power is vested in the Chief Minister (BOL, Article VII, Sec. 4). Judicial Power is vested in one Supreme Court and in the Shari’ah courts and regular courts within the Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction that form part of the Philippine judicial system (BOL, Article X, Sec. 2).

The BOL provides that the Parliament shall be composed of 80 Members (Art. VII, Sec. 6), unless otherwise increased by the Congress of the Philippines, elected as a Party Representative, as a representative for a Parliament District Seat, or as a Sectoral Representative or for Reserved Seats (Art. VII, Sec. 7).

A Member of the Parliament should be a citizen of the Philippines, at least twenty-five (25) years of age on the day of the election, able to read and write, and registered voter in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. A candidate for youth representative shall be less than eighteen (18) years and is not more than thirty (30) years of age at the time of election. A candidate for district representative must be a registered voter of the district in which the person is a candidate, and has resided in the district for at least 1 year immediately preceding the day of the election (Art. VII, Sec. 12).

The Members of the Parliament shall be elected for a term of 3 years, and shall serve for no more than 3 consecutive terms (Art. XVI, Sec. 11).

Bangsamoro Transition Authority

As the region is still in the transition period after the ratification of the law in a plebiscite in 2019, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority or BTA is currently the interim government in the BARMM. The BTA shall be composed of 80 members all appointed by the President of the Philippines (BOL, Art. XVI, Sec. 2). Legislative authority shall be exercised by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority while Executive authority shall be exercised by the interim Chief Minister who is appointed by the President as such (BOL, Art. XVI, Sec.3).

 By virtue of Republic Act No. 11593 signed on Oct. 28, 2021, the law postponed the first regional parliamentary elections in the region to 2025, thereby effectively extending the transition period from 2022 to 2025.

During this extension, the BTA shall continue to serve as the interim government in the BARMM with the new interim members serving up to June 30, 2025 or until their successors shall have been elected and qualified. (RA No. 11593, Sec. 2)