Arroyo approves Guadalupe split

CEBU, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved Republic Act 9905, which separates sitios Banawa and Englis from barangay Guadalupe to become a separate barangay Banawa-Englis.

Cebu City South District Rep. Antonio Cuenco called up The Freeman yesterday to make the announcement. He filed the bill on September 30 last year.

“I am glad that this was finally approved by the President,” the congressman said.

RA 9905 takes effect 15 days after its complete publication in at least two newspapers of general and local circulation.

Cuenco said that the publication of the bill will be on Monday in two newspapers in Manila and two local dailies in Cebu.

RA 9905 likewise provides that the Commission on Elections shall conduct and supervise the plebiscite to be held in the area affected within 30 days after the Act becomes effective.

The cost for the conduct of the plebiscite, as provided for under the Act, shall be charged against the Contingent Fund of the Comelec.

It added that the first set of officials of barangay Banawa-Englis shall be elected in a special election to be conducted within 60 days after the ratification by the majority of votes cast in a plebiscite.

The Act further stated that the corporate existence of barangay Banawa-Englis shall commence upon the election and qualification of its barangay captain and majority of the members of its council.

The seat of the barangay government of barangay Banawa-englis shall be located at the old sitio Banawa.

Likewise, barangay Banawa-Englis shall be entitled an Internal Revenue Allotment share pursuant to Section 285 of Republic Act 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991.

Cuenco’s bill separates sitios Banawa and Englis from barangay Guadalupe, the most populous barangay in the Visayas Region with a population of 49,956 based on the 2007 Census.

Earlier, Cuenco in his seven-page bill explained that the would-be created barangay Banawa-Englis has a population of approximately 40 percent of the total population of barangay Guadalupe.

“For the last 15 years, the residents of Banawa-Englis have been strongly and consistently clamoring to convert their place into a full-pledge barangay in view of the fact that they have not been getting the necessary basic community services,” Cuenco said.

Under the same Act, the new barangay Banawa-Englis will encompass the following puroks: Eskina Banawa (comprising the satellite market, Gullas Compound up to corner of Suzara St. along V. Rama Avenue), Verano Compound I, Verano Compound II, Falek Compound and Sundance Hills, Damiana’s Compound, Banawa Riverside (comprising Kana-as and Immanuel Bible School area), Caimito, Tambis, Cristina Village, Josefa Village, Woodland Heights, Pacana Compound, Windy Hills, Sambag, Remedios, Greenwille, Lomboy, Kawayan, San Roque, Santo Niño, Rosalina Village, Kalubihan, Kabulakan, Kasagingan, Sampaguita, Kamanggahan, Katugasa, Forest Hills Subdivision, Go Chan Subdivision, Maria Luisa South, White Hills, Golden Ville, Sta. Ana, Francisca Village, Horseshoe Hills Subdivision, Filomena Village and Paseo Arcenas.

Those in Sitio Englis are Happy Valley, Sudlon in Action, Zodiac Ville, San Roque EPRA, Central Englis, ESCO, EYHA, Department of Agriculture, Englis Riverside Association, Espina Village, SUSCO, Lower Happy Valley, CYPA, PERPASS, YGA, Fatima, Lorenzo Drive, EPRA and NOGRA.

RA 9905 further states that the territorial boundary of barangay Banawa-Englis shall be: from the east going south starting from the bridge at M. Velez St. to share common boundary with barangay Capitol, which is the Guadalupe River going down and up to the bridge at B. Rodriguez St.

Turning right towards the west and starting from the bridge at B. Rodriguez St, and passing along the same street up to the corner of Happy Valley St., then turn left following the same street up to and across Rosalina Subdivision and thereafter, to share all the time the existing boundaries of barangays Calamba, Labangon, Tisa and Buhisan.

Starting from the east at the Guadalupe bridge and along M. Velez St. going west up to the corner of V. Rama Avenue, turn right towards the north and along V. Rama Avenue up to the corner of Suzara St. turn left towards the west and along the same street to cut across and along the outer edges of Damiana’s Compound up to the dried up small creek.

Following the northward direction of the creek up to the portion directly behind the outer edges of the lots of Villa Salud Subdivision up to the junction of Quijada (Doña Modesta) and the unnamed street leading towards the Maria Luisa South Subdivision; thereafter to follow a westerly imaginary straight line up to the hills where the west-northwest boundary lines of barangays Buhisan and Sapangdaku.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña had earlier criticized Cuenco for “doing the right thing for the wrong reason” on splitting barangay Guadalupe.

Such accusation, however, was vigorously denied by the Cebuano legislator.

Osmeña, when asked for comment yesterday, welcomed the approval of the bill.

“Okay with me. Let the people decide,” was the mayor’s brief comment.

For his part, Guadalupe barangay captain Eugenio “Jingjing” Faelnar said he is not surprised about the development because “I know that it is coming since the bill was already approved in both houses.”

“As to my reaction, it’s good enough to really know the real sentiments of the residents. If they vote yes during the plebiscite will have it and we just say good luck to the new barangay. But if the people will say no, we will continue our service as we always do in the barangay because I believe we have done the best that we could do, but we can please everybody,” Faelnar said.

Faelnar also strongly denied that he took for granted the needs of the residents of sitios Banawa and Englis.

Mayor Osmeña earlier said that some residents of sitio Englis are against the proposed separation, because they do not want to be directly under the Alliance of Two Hearts parish in sitio Banawa. — /NLQ (THE FREEMAN)