The first Bangsamoro elections on September 14, 2026, established a regional parliament in the southern Philippines, but a final peace agreement and the transition of remaining former fighters to civilian life are still unresolved.

Key Takeaways

  • The MILF-backed United Bangsamoro Justice Party won 30 parliamentary seats; rival parties formed a 46-member alliance.
  • An exit agreement tied to the decommissioning of 14,000 remaining former fighters was still pending in October.
  • The regional government’s economic framework includes a proposed maritime corridor and a hydrogen power plant.

Bangsamoro elections and the new parliament

The vote in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao fulfilled a requirement of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called the election a historic milestone for the region’s autonomy.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or MILF, supported the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, which won 30 seats. Rival parties have since joined a 46-member alliance, leaving the shape of a governing coalition uncertain.

Peace agreement remains pending

The 2014 pact also called for an exit agreement anchored on the decommissioning of the remaining 14,000 former MILF combatants and their transition to civilian life.

MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim suspended the decommissioning process after seeking government guarantees on promised social benefits for fighters who had surrendered their arms. A standoff ended after government and MILF panels met in Kuala Lumpur, but the exit agreement remained pending in October 2026.

Regional economic plans

The Bangsamoro government’s long-term economic framework includes a proposed maritime trading corridor linking Polloc port in Maguindanao del Norte with Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Sabah in Malaysia. It also calls for disaster-resilient farming and the development of halal agricultural and processed food products.

Other elements include a proposed hydrogen power plant in Basilan to serve the maritime industry, alongside investment in infrastructure and human capital. The source did not give construction dates or costs for those plans.

Next milestone

A summit between Marcos and Ebrahim is being arranged, although no date was specified.

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