BARMM's first elected parliament: What the numbers reveal
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is about to witness history as its first elected parliament prepares for its inaugural session on October 30. With no single party holding the majority of 41 seats, the next five years will test how the region's diverse leaders can forge coalitions and govern together.
Experts say the path to a stable majority goes beyond simply securing the chief minister post. A clear governance agenda is essential to keep coalitions intact through disagreements and potential defections. The composition of the 80-member parliament offers a window into where that vision may lean.
How many women are in the new parliament?
Despite a law requiring that 30% of regional parliamentary political party nominees be women, only 13 women will serve in the incoming parliament, a mere 16.25% of the total. Election watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) earlier noted that most female candidates were ranked lower on nominee lists. The gender threshold did not apply to district and sectoral seats, which make up half of the parliament.
How many members have prior BTA experience?
Thirty-nine of the elected members previously served in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament, the region's interim legislative body. Eleven of these veterans were appointed for all three terms since the BARMM was created in 2019, most of them from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), as required by law.
Are political dynasties present in the parliament?
Despite anti-political dynasty provisions in the BARMM's electoral and local governance codes, several members share family ties. The full implementation of these provisions begins in 2028, while the 2026 election only banned familial relationships within the same regional political party.
Notable family connections include four Adiongs, two of whom are direct relatives of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. Father-and-son pair Mansor Blah Ebrahim and Ahod 'Al Haj Murad' B. Ebrahim, the MILF and United Bangsamoro Justice Party chair, will also serve together. Mohagher Iqbal, also known as Datucan Abas, and former Commission on Elections chair Sheriff Abas are uncle and nephew.
Other relatives of provincial governors in the parliament include:
- Jay Hataman Salliman, nephew of Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman
- Ishak Mastura, nephew of Maguindanao del Norte Governor Tucao Mastura
- Tawakal Midtimbang, nephew of Maguindanao del Sur Governor Ali Musa Midtimbang
- Abdulrahman Rubbil Mangudadatu, brother of Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Ali Mangudadatu
Where do the members come from?
Only 17 members hail from the island provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, while 61 come from the mainland. This imbalance is a concern for island provinces that have long lamented uneven development favoring the mainland.
What is the age profile of the parliament?
Generation X members, aged 46 to 61, make up 35% of the parliament. Baby Boomers, aged 61 and above, account for 31.25%. The youngest members, all 26 years old, include Abrar Jainuddin Hataman of Basilan's 3rd District, Sajid Andre Sinsuat Ampatuan of Maguindanao del Sur's 2nd District, Abdulrahman Rubbil Sangki Mangudadatu of the BARMM Grand Coalition, and Sulffy Villaflores Abbas, the youth sectoral representative. Mohagher Iqbal is the oldest at 79.
With reports from Jedidiah Rollinas, Jade Florido, and Stephanie Agatha Gonzalvo of Rappler's Research and Data unit.