House OKs splitof second district

CEBU, Philippines - The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the bill creating additional legislative district in the province of Cebu.

Cebu City North District Representative Raul del Mar announced on Friday the approval of House Bill 3149 during a meeting with the members of Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB).

The bill authored by Second District Representative Wilfredo Caminero seeks to divide his district into two to carve out the seventh legislative district in the province.

The second district is the biggest of all legislative districts in Cebu.

It is composed of 15 municipalities – more than a third of the 44 municipalities of the province. It has the most number of barangays at 284.

The proposal to divide the second district into two was originally pushed by former district representative Pablo Garcia.

Garcia filed the original proposal in 2008 but did not materialize for lack of time. Under the House Bill 3149, the new district, which will be known as the seventh legislative district, shall be composed of the municipalities of Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, Malabuyoc, and Ginatilan.

The towns of Argao, Dalaguete, Boljoon, Alcoy, Oslob, Santander, and Samboan will remain in the existing district.

 Meanwhile, Cordova town Mayor Adelino Sitoy appealed for the creation of more districts to achieve the needed growth for Cebu.

Sitoy believes that Cebu is entitled of 14 to 14 representations in Congress.

“The creation of additional districts is not only because of many would be aspiring, but because we believe that in terms of growth, the more congressmen, the more additional districts we can have, then Asian growth can be achieved,” he said.

 Sitoy said that for 107 years, Cebu grew only by two districts.

 â€œSo, as part of growth of Cebu, why don’t we expand  into additional districts so that more minds can pour into planning,” he said.

 Sitoy said that there’s a need  to split the districts that are overpopulated.

  â€œI’m talking of the first district for example. Minglanilla and Talisay can be one district, the population is already four hundred thousand. Cebu City is entitled to three considering the population of Cebu City is entirely eight hundred thousand,” he said.

 Sitoy said that an ideal district is entitled to have a minimum of  250, 000 individuals.  (FREEMAN)