Enrile says more districts to benefit Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday said Cebu will be assured of more districts with the approval of his bill seeking to increase the seats in the House of Representatives from 250 to 350.

Enrile who was in Lapu-Lapu City as guest speaker during the graduation of the students of the Indiana Aerospace University in Mactan said the bill aims to ensure proper representation in legislature because of the growing population in some congressional districts.

He said Cebu Province and some other provinces in Mindanao need additional congressional districts to cope with the increasing population.

He, however, admitted that the Constitution provides that the House shall be composed of not more than 250 members “unless otherwise fixed by law”.

The Senate president further said that it also provides that 20 percent of the House members should be elected through a party-list system of registered national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations.

However, he said that there are already 220 district representatives and 31 representatives elected under the party-list system.

The Senate president vowed to push for the enactment of a law to increase the membership of the House, noting that the present composition of the House does not comply with the provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Meanwhile, Enrile also said there is a need to completely overhaul the Securities and Exchange Commission following the controversy of Legacy Consolidated Plans Inc. owned by Celso delos Angeles.

According to Enrile, the SEC failed to stop Delos Angeles’ illegal activities, as a result thousands of people are now suffering. — Jose P. Sollano/BRP (THE FREEMAN)