Aquino approves Cebu’s 7th district

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu finally has an additional legislative district.

This after President Benigno Aquino III signed into law on Thursday the bill creating the seventh district in Cebu.

However, the period set by the Commission on Elections for the  allocation of an elective seat at the House of Representatives and other local elective positions already expired last August 31.

The enrolled form of the bill was transmitted to the Office of the President last August 28, a month after it was approved by the Senate.

Lawyer Ferdinand Gujilde, Comelec-Cebu election officer, said the poll body can still accommodate the newly-created district if the Comelec en banc would amend the resolution which prescribes the calendar of activities for the 2016 national and local elections.

He said the Comelec en banc is expected to act upon the matter before the filing of certificate of candidacy on October 12.

“Sa akong tan-aw makaapas pa siya, sayon ra siya. It’s not a tedious process,” Gujilde said.

Cebu second district Representative Wilfredo Caminero, who authored the bill at the House of Representatives, told The FREEMAN that he had asked Comelec for reconsideration even when the bill was still pending.

He said he felt fulfilled with the development considering that there is already additional representation from Cebu, which he hoped would pave the way for more development in the towns under the new district.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III announced the signing into law of the approved measure after he received a message from Malacañang.

“What is going to happen next is i-publish man na siya sa Official Gazette,” he said.

Laws take effect 15 days from their date of publication either in the government’s Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the country, unless a specific period is provided for by another law.

The law splits the second district, the biggest in Cebu with 15 municipalities and with the biggest number of barangays with 284.

The newly-created seventh legislative district comprises the towns of Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, Malabuyoc and Ginati-lan, while Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander and Samboan stay with the original district.

The new district has a population of 200,092 based on the 2010 census of the Philippine Statistics Authority, while second district has a combined population of 223,360 based on the same census.

Former congressman Pablo Garcia originally filed the measure to divide the second district but he lost in the 2013 elections to Caminero, who re-filed the bill.

In a text message, Board Member Christopher Baricuatro, who represents the second district in the Provincial Board, thanked Aquino for finally signing the creation of the new district into law.

“Very good news for the people of the second district! This means more programs and bigger projects for the 15 LGUs. One more Cebuano voice in the Congress means more funding from the national government,” he said.

He earlier signified his intention to run again as board member in next year’s elections, but this time for the seventh legislative district.

With each electoral district represented by two winning candidates in the PB, Badian Vice Mayor Jerome Librando was reported as Board Member Baricuatro’s fellow candidate for his party. — /RHM

(FREEMAN)