Senate adjourns for Holy Week breakMANILA, Philippines — The Senate adjourned session yesterday to go on its Holy Week break after ratifying the bill resetting the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections and passing other priority measures. During the session on Tuesday, the Senate ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the bill resetting the first regular BARMM parliamentary elections to Sept. 14. The bill will also synchronize subsequent BARMM elections with the national and local elections starting May 2031 and every three years thereafter. The sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, said the bicam report also settled the assumption of office of parliamentary officials on Oct. 30 this year and on June 30 in subsequent elections. The Senate on Tuesday night also approved on second reading the proposed “People’s Freedom of Information Act.”

Source: Philippine Star March 18, 2026 17:31 UTC