Luigi against creation of ‘Mactan province’

CEBU, Philippines – While he favors splitting the sixth congressional district, Representative Luigi Quisumbing opposes the plan to separate Mactan Island from Cebu province.

"I'd rather not (approve of it). Cebu is Cebu. We are stronger together," he said when asked by the media if he favors breaking the island from the mainland. The island consists of the local governments of Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova town.

The question was raised amid a plan to separate Mandaue City from the sixth district, where Lapu-Lapu City was once part of. Lapu-Lapu has since become a district of its own.

Quisumbing, who is on his second term as sixth district representative, said the bill seeking to make Mandaue a lone district is set to be filed in the next Congress. He said "we did not factor that (Mactan and Cebu mainland split) into the framework."

The framework, he said, is a plan aimed at helping the towns Cordova and Consolacion which will be left behind in the sixth district after Mandaue (may be) separated from it.

He explained that the towns from the neighboring districts may be moved to the sixth to fill in the place of Mandaue. The two towns currently lack the population and land area requirements to become cities on their own.

The lawmaker said he believes majority of Cebu congressmen are also not in favor of dividing Cebu into two.

During the administration of then governor and now Representative Gwen Garcia (Cebu, third district), some congressmen filed separate bills seeking to split Cebu. Hence, Garcia's slogan "One Cebu" was born.

The proposals were, however, killed in the Lower House.

Last October, former Cordova mayor Celedonio Sitoy said he is eyeing the creation of Mactan Island into a separate province from Cebu if elected congressman of Lapu-Lapu City’s lone district.

But first, Celedonio said, he would push for the conversion of the Olango group of islands into a municipality to join Lapu-Lapu City and the town of Cordova to compose the supposed new Mactan province.

The main island of Olango, composed of Barangays Baring, Caw-oy, Sabang, Santa Rosa, Talima, Tingo, Tungasan and San Vicente, and the island barangays of Pangan-an and Caohagan, is under the administration of Lapu-Lapu City.

Celedonio, a doctor by profession, said he will seek the legal expertise of his brother, incumbent Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, in pursuing his plan. (FREEMAN)