BARMM bodies okay bill redistributing parliament seats meant for Sulu

KORONADAL CITY—The Bangsamoro government moves closer to completing its part of the preparations for the first regional elections in October as a joint committee approved on Friday the redistribution of 32 parliamentary district seats, mainly the seven elective posts originally intended for Sulu province.
The committees on Local Government (CLG) chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) Naguib Sarimbo and on Amendments, Revision and Codification of Laws (CARCL) headed by MP Sittie Fahanie Uy-Oyod jointly approved Parliament Bill No. 351 during a meeting conducted in Makati City.
“The (joint) committee, after extensive consultations and deliberation, approved the (joint committee) report. This will pave the way for its eventual deliberation at the plenary,” Sinarimbo posted on social media on Saturday.
Under Parliament Bill No. 351, additional one seat will each be added to the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, the city of Cotabato and the Special Geographic Area (SGA).
The bill, as it retained the total number of 32 parliamentary district seats contained in Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 58, redistributed the seats for Sulu after the Supreme Court ruled to exclude the province from the Bangsamoro region in September last year.
The bill proposes the allocation of 32 parliamentary districts as follows: nine in Lanao del Sur; five each in Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur; four each in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi; three in Cotabato City; and two in the SGA.
Under BAA 58, which was approved in March 2024, the 32 parliamentary districts were distributed as follows: three in Basilan, seven in Sulu, three in Tawi-Tawi, four each in Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, eight in Lanao del Sur, two in Cotabato City, and one in SGA.
The approved joint committee report of the CLG and CARCL is expected to be submitted to the plenary this week for deliberations.