Pabling: Create more districts rather than push Sugbu-ak

Former Governor Pablo Garcia sees that the creation of more congressional districts in lieu of the efforts to cut up Cebu into four provinces is more practical, and is economically and politically advantageous.

Garcia, who had already initially discussed the possible creation of additional congressional districts in Cebu with House Speaker Jose de Venecia and Deputy House Speaker Raul del Mar over the weekend, said that based on the current population of the province of four million it is already entitled to have 12 congressmen.

The former governor said that it is already about time that Cebuano congressmen should start moving for the creation of additional congressional districts to give us more representation at the Lower House rather than carving out their own province out of Cebu, which is economically expensive.

It's about time nga ila ning tutukan," Garcia told dyLA.

He explained that the poorest provinces in the country were those divided provinces. Unlike creating new congressional districts wherein it would be beneficial because of additional representation and therefore additional pork barrels, dividing a first class and number one province in the country would downgrade our standing.

According to Garcia, it would also be politically advantageous for the province to create more congressional districts especially on the efforts to change the system of the government from presidential to parliamentary because every district is entitled to one representative to the parliament.

Three of the six congressmen of Cebu province have proposed the creation of three additional provinces out of their own districts. Rep. Antonio Yapha of the third district proposed the creation of the province of Cebu Occidental, second district Rep. Simeon Kintanar likewise proposed the creation of Cebu del Sur while fourth district Rep. Clavel Martinez proposed the creation of Cebu del Norte.

The three bills are still pending before the House committee on local government.

Meanwhile, Garcia said that even if the system of government will not be changed he is optimistic that Cebu will still become the economic powerhouse in Southeast Asia. Garcia was reacting to de Venecia's statement that Cebu is emerging as such especially under the new system of government.

However, Garcia admitted that the new system would help. The former governor, however, said that federalism is not necessary to attain such economic standing. Garcia said a declaration of autonomous province is enough.

Garcia added that federalism is not good for the Philippines because we have no experience of running a federal government. - Fred P. Languido