Carcar, Minglanilla mayors hesitant on district split-up

CEBU, Philippines - Some mayors of the first congressional district are not supportive yet on the suggestion to divide their district into two while its neighbor second district is thrusting to that direction.

"Ang first district gamay ra man gud, unom ra ka lungsod. Pero depende na nila (congressmen). Pero di nimo ma-compare ang first district sa second district. Ang second district tuyukon kaayo, 15 pa gyud ka lungsod samtang ang first district kay unom ra ka (towns and cities)," said Carcar City Mayor Nicepuro Apura.

"Maabot ra pud og 45 minutes from Cebu City to Sibonga," Apura added, pointing out that the district is not as huge as any other.

But Apura said it is always up to their congressman Gerald Anthony Gullas.

For his part, Minglanilla Mayor Lani Peña said before anyone would push to split the first district, there must be a series of studies first to see if it is advantageous to all three towns and three cities.

"Tun-an pa na, sa akong part lang. Pero as of now, usa lang sa una kay maayo ra man pagkada ni Congressman (Gullas) ang first district," said Peña.

Earlier, Governor Hilario Davide III had hinted that there are a number of districts in the province that could be candidates for redistricting. 

He said the first district, for one, has three big cities -- Talisay, Carcar and Naga -- and that doing rounds in these three cities and three more big municipalities could be taxing for a single congressman.

He said it would be a plus for this district to be divided into two, so that, once it becomes two, there will be two congressmen who can serve the populace.

Davide's statement came after the proposal to split the second district got the approval of the House of Representatives.