Republic Act No. 12123

by Congress of the Philippines

S. No. 2942
H. No. 11144

Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
Metro Manila

Nineteenth Congress

Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-second day of July, two thousand twenty-four.

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[Republic Act No. 12123]

AN ACT RESETTING THE FIRST REGULAR ELECTIONS IN THE BANGSAMORO AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 13, ARTICLE XVI OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11054, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ORGANIC LAW FOR THE BAGSAMORO AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO"

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Section 13, Article XVI, of Republic Act No. 11054, otherwise known as the "Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao", as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 13. First Regular Election. – The first regular election for the Bangsamoro Government under this Organic Law shall be held on October 13, 2025. The next election shall be held and synchronized with the 2028 national elections and every three (3) years thereafter. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC), through the Bangsamoro Electoral Office, shall promulgate rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections, enforce, and administer them pursuant to national law, this Organic Law and the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.

The term of office of the officials first elected shall commence at noon of the 30^th day of October next following their election."

Sec. 2. During the extension of the Transition Period, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) shall continue as the interim government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), unless such interim members are replaced by the President or their tenure is shortened by their election to a different office. The interim members of the BTA shall serve until their successors shall have been elected and qualified in an automated election.

Sec. 3. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Government shall disburse the share of the Province of Sulu in the annual block grant from the National Government for the undertaking of its programs in 2025, in accordance with the rules and regulations that may be issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Sec. 4. For the purpose of this Act, aspirants who filed their certificates of candidacy for the parliamentary districts and nominees for party representatives listed in the certificates of nomination and acceptance incorporated in manifestations of intent to participate filed by duly accredited political parties from November 4 to 9, 2024, shall be automatically considered as candidates and nominees in the October 2025 election. New filings for certificates of candidacy or for manifestations of intent to participate with a list of nominees shall not be entertained: Provided, That the COMELEC shall have the authority to issue appropriate guidelines on the filing of candidacies, in case the seats originally allocated to the Province of Sulu are re-apportioned by the Bangsamoro Parliament. Substitution of candidates and nominees shall not be allowed, except in cases of death or disqualification, pursuant to the guidelines promulgated by the COMELEC.

Sec. 5. The Bangsamoro Parliamentary election on October 2025 shall not be treated as a special election and shall be considered a continuation of the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE). Any amount obligated prior to the resetting of the Bangsamoro Election shall remain valid.

The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the COMELEC or any available appropriations as may be identified by the DBM subject to existing budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act, subject to the usual budget preparation process.

Sec. 6. If any of the provisions of this Act is held unconstitutional, the provisions not affected shall remain valid and binding.

Sec. 7. All laws, decrees, issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

Sec. 8. This Act shall take effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ
Speaker of the House
of Representatives

FRANCIS "CHIZ" G. ESCUDERO
President of the Senate

This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2942 and House Bill No. 11144, was passed by the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives on February 4, 2025 and February 5, 2024, respectively.

Reginald S. Velasco
Secretary General
House of Representatives

Renato N. Bantug Jr.
Secretary of the Senate

Approved: FEB 19 2025

FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.
President of the Philippines