MANILA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- A bicameral conference committee composed of members from the Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives approved on Wednesday the reconciled version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

The proposed law, which is hoped to end decades of separatist fighting in Mindanao in the southern Philippines, seeks to replace the Autonomous Region in Mindanao established in 1989 with a new Bangsamoro region.

The House and the Senate passed their respective versions of the bill in May. The two chambers then convened a bicameral conference committee to reconcile their versions of the measure.

The final version of the measure will be sent back to both chambers for ratification before it can be transmitted to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

The lawmakers hope to ratify the final version of the measure on July 23, during the opening of the third regular session of the 17th Congress.

Duterte is expected to sign the Bangsamoro measure into law before he delivers the third State of the Nation Address on July 23.

The passage of the BBL aims to resolve the decades-old conflict in the southern Philippines by giving more powers to the local Filipino-Muslims and organizing a Bangsamoro government.