Ex-Languyan vice mayor wins Tawi-Tawi 2nd District seat in BARMM Parliament
MANILA, Philippines – Hadjimar “Chong” Matba, a former vice mayor of Tawi-Tawi’s Languyan town, is now the province’s Member of Parliament-elect for the 2nd District in the Bangsamoro Parliament.
Matba will join his relative, South Ubian Mayor Hadzri Matba, in government service. The newly elected official had previously served as Tawi-Tawi’s provincial administrator in 2019 and provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer from 2019 to 2024.
This comes after the conclusion of the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14.
Matba obtained 38,545 or 69.41% of his district’s votes, according to Tawi-Tawi’s total certificates of canvass on the Commission on Elections’ website. He secured one seat for his political party, the Progresibong Bangsamoro Party.
He topped the race with a wide margin over two other candidates in Tawi-Tawi’s 2nd District.
Placing second is Gamal Hayudini, a retired Philippine Air Force colonel and head of the civil society organization Ako Sama. As the candidate of the BARMM Grand Coalition, he obtained 14,255 or 25.67% of the votes.
Former South Ubian vice mayor Abdelaziz Halun ranked third with 2,732 or 4.92% of the votes. He is the bet of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s United Bangsamoro Justice Party.
Like other newly elected parliament members, Matba will serve a special five-year transition term from October 30, 2026, to June 30, 2031. He will be one of the 32 district representatives making up 40% of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament. – Rappler.com
