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Speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament

Political position in the Philippines From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament (Filipino: Tagapagsalita ng Parlamento ng Bangsamoro) is the presiding officer of the Bangsamoro Parliament, the regional legislature of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) of the Philippines.

StyleMr. Speaker
(informal)
The Honorable
(formal)
SeatBangsamoro Parliament Building, Cotabato City
Quick facts of the Bangsamoro Parliament, Style ...
Speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament
Tagapagsalita ng Parlamento ng Bangsamoro
Seal of the Bangsamoro Parliament
since October 21, 2025
Bangsamoro Parliament
StyleMr. Speaker
(informal)
The Honorable
(formal)
Member ofBangsamoro Parliament
SeatBangsamoro Parliament Building, Cotabato City
AppointerBangsamoro Parliament
PrecursorSpeaker of the ARMM Regional Legislative Assembly
FormationMarch 29, 2019; 7 years ago (2019-03-29)
First holderPangalian Balindong
DeputyDeputy Speakers
Close

The current speaker of the Parliament is Mohammad Yacob, elected on October 21, 2025.[1]

History

Pangalian Balindong was the first speaker of the interim Bangsamoro Parliament.

Prior to the establishment of the Bangsamoro Parliament on March 29, 2019, Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim named Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leader Ghazali Jaafar as the person he preferred to become the first speaker of the parliament with lawyer and former Lanao del Sur congressman Pangalian Balindong as Jaafar's deputy. However, Jaafar died on March 13, 2019 prior to the first convening of the parliament.[2]

At the start of the inaugural session of the parliament, there were two nominees for the speakership, Balindong and Laisa Alamia, with the former elected by the interim Bangsamoro Parliament as its speaker. Hatimil Hassan was elected as Balindong's deputy speaker.[3] Additional co-deputies were elected by the parliament at later dates.[4]

Pangalian Balindong died on October 2, 2025.[5] An election for his successor was held on October 21, 2025, with Mohammad Yacob, a fellow MILF nominee, being sworn in as the new speaker.[6]

Function

The speaker is the presiding officer of the Bangsamoro Parliament whose role is to secure the honor of the parliament, ensure the rights and privileges of its members, and assure public access to its proceedings. The same presiding role could also be fulfilled by the speaker's deputies.[7]

Furthermore, according to Rule IV, Section 14 of the Rules, Procedures, and Practices of the Parliament, the duties and powers of the speaker include the following:[8]

  • Preside on all plenary sessions of the Parliament, except as hereunder otherwise provided. He/she shall open, conduct, and close each session day
  • Be responsible for the management of the proceedings and conduct of business of the Parliament
  • Maintain proper order and ensure that the right procedures are followed
  • Remain impartial during all debates and if he/she wishes to participate in the debate, he/she shall temporarily relinquish the chair
  • Vote only to break a tie
  • Be responsible over the use of the resources and facilities of the Parliament
  • Conduct regular monthly caucus of all Members of the Parliament or as often as may be necessary to discuss priority measures and to facilitate dialogue, consensus and actions on issues and concerns affecting the Parliament and the performance of its functions
  • Exercise general supervision over all committees and, in furtherance thereof, conduct regular monthly meetings with the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of all Statutory and Parliamentary Committees to set legislative targets, review performance in the attainment of targets, ensure that the priority legislative measures of committees are attuned to the legislative agenda of the Parliament and resolve such issues and concerns that affect the operations and performance of the committees
  • Designate a Member of the Parliament as temporary presiding officer after informing the Deputy Speakers; provided, that any such designation shall be effective for one session day only
  • Sign all acts, resolutions, and bills that may be issued by or upon order of the Parliament

The speaker also has administrative supervision over legislative personnel, staff, and secretariat of the Bangsamoro Parliament and is also the appointing authority of all career positions within the parliament. However, the speaker is mandated to consult with the chief minister first for appointments of positions which has a salary grade of 25 and above.[9] The speaker must also present to the chief minister every bill before signing into law, and for him to submit a certified true copy of all laws and resolutions approved by the Parliament to the president and to the national Congress.

Election

Mohammad Yacob (right) takes his oath as the new speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament on October 21, 2025, before Wālī Sheikh Muslim Guiamaden (left).

The speaker is elected by a majority vote of all members of the Parliament through a standing vote without explanation. Should there be more than two nominees and none received the required majority, a run-off election between the two nominees who obtained the most number of votes is held. Abstentions are not allowed during a run-off election.

The following is a list of elections for Speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament:

March 2019

An election for speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament took place on March 29, 2019, at the start of the first interim parliament. Pangalian Balindong received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[10]

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
2019 election for speaker
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
MILF Pangalian Balindong Majority [a]
National Government Laisa Alamia (?)
Total votes 92 100.00
Close

September 2022

An election for speaker took place on September 15, 2022, at the start of the second interim parliament. Pangalian Balindong received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[11]

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
2022 election for speaker
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
MILF Pangalian Balindong 79 100.00
Total votes 79 100.00
Close

October 2025

On October 2, 2025, Pangalian Balindong died, leaving the position of the speaker of the Parliament vacant. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new speaker was held on October 21, 2025, during the second interim parliament. Mohammad Yacob received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[1]

More information Affiliation, Candidate ...
2025 election for speaker
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
MILF Mohammad Yacob 67 100.00
Total votes 67 100.00
Close

List of speakers

More information No., Portrait ...
No. Portrait Name
(Lifespan)
Term start Term end Party[b] Parliament
— Pangalian Balindong
Member of the BTA
(1940–2025)
Interim
March 29,
2019
October 2,
2025
MILF 1st BTA Parliament
2nd BTA Parliament
Vacant
(October 2–21, 2025)
— Mohammad Yacob
Member of the BTA
(born 1970)
Interim

[12]
October 21,
2025
Incumbent MILF
Close

Timeline

Mohammad YacobPangalian Balindong


Deputy Speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament

Deputy Speaker MP Laisa Alamia presides over a session of the Bangsamoro Parliament on April 14, 2025

The deputy speakers of the Bangsamoro Parliament are the second-highest-ranking officials of the Bangsamoro Parliament.

They have the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Take turns in presiding over the session, when the Speaker does not preside or has not designated any other Member as temporary presiding officer
  • Recommend to the Speaker appropriate policies and programs of action to improve the process of legislation and the quality of legislative measures
  • Act as the Speaker when so designated and in accordance with the designation, in case of the temporary incapacity or absence of the Speaker, until such time that the Speaker returns to office and resumes his/her work
    In the event that the Speaker does not make such a designation, the Deputy Speaker most senior in age shall act as the Speaker only for purposes of ensuring the continued operations of the Parliament but shall not perform items (g) and (l) in Section 4[c] as well as all acts not in the ordinary course of business of the Parliament
    The Deputy Speaker most senior in age shall assume the duties and powers of the Speaker as described in the previous paragraph in case of resignation, removal, death, and permanent incapacity of the Speaker, until such time that a new Speaker has been elected and qualified. He/she shall promptly inform the Chief Minister of the fact of resignation, removal, death, or permanent incapacity
  • Serve as ex officio member to all committees with a right to vote; and
  • Perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned or delegated to him/her from time to time by the Speaker

The incumbent deputy speakers of the Parliament are Nabil Tan, Omar Yasser Sema, Lanang Ali Jr., Don Mustapha Loong, Abdulkarim Misuari, Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba, Laisa Alamia, Amenodin Sumagayan, Suwaib Oranon, Baintan Ampatuan, Ishak Mastura, Adzfar Usman, and Jose Lorena.[13]

Hatimil Hassan initially served as the sole deputy speaker at the start of the first interim parliament,[10] until more deputy speakers were added beginning November 25, 2020, upon the election of Omar Yasser Sema.

List of deputy speakers

More information Portrait, Name (Lifespan) ...
Portrait Name
(Lifespan)
Term start Term end Party[b] Speaker Parliament
Hatimil Hassan
Member of the BTA
(born 1949)
Interim
March 29,
2019
September 15,
2022
National Government Pangalian Balindong 1st BTA Parliament
Omar Yasser Sema
Member of the BTA
(born 1972)
Interim

[14]
November 25,
2020
September 15,
2022
National Government
Zia Alonto Adiong
Member of the BTA
(born 1979)
Interim

[15]
January 19,
2021
June 30,
2022
National Government
Nabil Tan
Member of the BTA
(born 1955)
Interim

[15]
January 19,
2021
September 15,
2022
National Government
Hatimil Hassan
Member of the BTA
(born 1949)
Interim
September 15,
2022
May 21,
2025
National Government Pangalian Balindong
(until 2025)

Mohammad Yacob
(from 2025)
2nd BTA Parliament
Nabil Tan
Member of the BTA
(born 1955)
Interim
September 15,
2022
Incumbent National Government
Omar Yasser Sema
Member of the BTA
(born 1972)
Interim
September 15,
2022
Incumbent National Government
Lanang Ali Jr.
Member of the BTA
(born 1982)
Interim
September 15,
2022
Incumbent MILF
Paisalin Tago
Member of the BTA
(born 1967)
Interim
September 15,
2022
May 21,
2025
National Government
Abdulkarim Misuari
Member of the BTA
(born 1974)
Interim
September 15,
2022
Incumbent National Government
Benjamin Loong
Member of the BTA
(born 1954)
Interim
September 15,
2022
May 21,
2025
MILF
Don Mustapha Loong
Member of the BTA
(born 1976)
Interim
May 21,
2025
Incumbent National Government
John Anthony Lim
Member of the BTA
(born 1979)
Interim
May 21,
2025
October 21,
2025
National Government
Laisa Alamia
Member of the BTA
(born 1971/1972)
Interim
May 21,
2025
Incumbent National Government
Amenodin Sumagayan
Member of the BTA
(born 1975)
Interim
May 21,
2025
Incumbent National Government
Suwaib Oranon
Member of the BTA
(born 1953)
Interim
May 21,
2025
Incumbent MILF
Baintan Ampatuan
Member of the BTA
Interim
May 21,
2025
Incumbent National Government
Ishak Mastura
Member of the BTA
(born 1971)
Interim
May 21,
2025
Incumbent National Government
Adzfar Usman
Member of the BTA
Interim
May 21,
2025
Incumbent National Government
Jose Lorena
Member of the BTA
Interim
October 21,
2025
Incumbent National Government
Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba
Member of the BTA
(born 1981/1982)
Interim
October 21,
2025
Incumbent MILF
Close

Notes

  1. As the specific number of votes in the election is not known, a candidate vote percentage is indeterminable.
  2. For speakers during the tenure of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, their nominators are stated.
  3. (g) Exercise administrative supervision over the legislative personnel, staff, and secretariat of the Parliament;
    (l) Appoint career positions in the Parliament including co-terminus and contractual positions as well as contract of service therein;

References

See also

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