2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite

2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite
January 21 and February 6, 2019
Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) Plebiscite
Outcome
  • Bangsamoro Organic Law ratified creating the Bangsamoro
    • Sulu province also included as part of the Bangsamoro despite voters rejecting the BOL. Sulu was later ruled not part of Bangsamoro by the Supreme Court in 2024.
  • Cotabato City approved inclusion to the Bangsamoro
  • 63 barangays in Cotabato approved and allowed inclusion to the Bangsamoro
  • Isabela, Basilan rejected inclusion to the Bangsamoro
  • 6 Lanao del Norte towns disallowed inclusion to the Bangsamoro
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 1,540,017 88.57%
No 198,750 11.43%
Valid votes 1,738,767 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 1,738,767 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 1,980,441 87.8%
Cotabato City joining the Bangsamoro
For
 
 59.48%
Against
 
 40.52%
Isabela City joining the Bangsamoro
For
 
 45.89%
Against
 
 54.11%
Results by locality
Yes:   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%
No:   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%
Figures above only show votes for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and excludes votes to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Map shows the results of the first round of the plebiscite. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao voted for the ratification of the BOL, and Cotabato City (inset) voted for the inclusion to the BARMM, while Isabela City in Basilan voted against. Note that voters in the rest of Basilan had to consent for Isabela to be included in the BARMM aside from voters in Isabela City itself. Results are unofficial results.

The 2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite was a two-part plebiscite held in Mindanao, Philippines, that ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), as well as the scope of the said region.

Under the organic law, the government would have to hold the plebiscite not more than 150 days from the signing of the BOL into law (July 26, 2018) but not earlier than 90 days from the law's signing.[1] The first part of the plebiscite was held on January 21, 2019, where voters from the ARMM voted regarding the BOL's ratification and residents of Cotabato City and Isabela City voted for or against their cities' inclusion into the then-proposed region. The second part was held on February 6 to potentially expand the BARMM; with voters from six municipalities in Lanao del Norte and 67 barangays in Cotabato province voting for or against their localities' inclusion into the BARMM.

On January 25, 2019, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that the BOL was "deemed ratified" after results in the first part of the plebiscite showed majority support for the law's ratification. The election body also officially announced that majority of voters in Cotabato City voted in favor of joining the then-proposed autonomous region while voters of Isabela City rejected their inclusion. During the February 6 referendum, however, 63 of the 67 Cotabato barangays, and 9 of 22 towns in Lanao del Norte saw voters in favor of joining the then-proposed region.[2][3][4][5] Despite the fact that the six municipalities in Lanao del Norte which petitioned to join were among the 9 voting in favor of inclusion,[5] a majority of support was required from not only from voters in the individual municipality, but also from voters throughout the rest of the province as well. As a result, no municipality in Lanao del Norte joined the autonomous region.[6] All of the barangays in Cotabato province which saw voters vote in favor of joining, however, joined the region as well.[2][4]

On September 9, 2024, the Supreme Court of the Philippines upheld the validity of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, but declared unconstitutional the provision that considered the provinces of the former ARMM to be one unit for purposes of determining ratification. Because majority of the voters of the province of Sulu rejected the ratification of the law in the plebiscite, it was declared to be not part of the BARMM.[7]

  1. ^ Legaspi, Amita (July 27, 2018). "Now that BOL is signed, 'the more difficult part begins,' says Zubiri". GMA News. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Fonbuena, Carmela. "63 out of 67 barangays in Cotabato to join Bangsamoro region". Rappler. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  3. ^ "'Yes' votes add Cotabato areas to Bangsamoro". Manila Standard. February 9, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Sarmiento, Bong S. "21 of 67 villages in North Cotabato join BARMM". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Suson, Divina. "'No' wins in 13 Lanao del Norte towns; 'Yes' wins in only 9 towns". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  6. ^ Tomacruz, Sofia. "Lanao del Norte rejects inclusion of towns in Bangsamoro region". Rappler. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  7. ^ "SC Upholds Validity of Bangsamoro Organic Law; Declares Sulu not Part of Bangsamoro Region". Supreme Court of the Philippines. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.