JV eyes cityhood for San Juan

San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito plans to turn the municipality into a city before ending his first term.

JV, son of deposed President Estrada and brother of former San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, in a recent interview said that he is now eyeing to turn San Juan, a known Estrada bailiwick into a city in the year 2006.

"Our only problems are the two requirements for our town to be transformed into a city – the land area and the population," he said.

Under the law, a town should have at least 250,000 residents to be able to become a city.

The 31-year-old mayor said Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, who served as an Executive Secretary under the Estrada administration, has already filed a bill, along with other remaining towns in Metro Manila, like Navotas and Malabon and Pateros, to skip the requirements. The proposed measure is still pending before Congress.

"The town's revenue is five times more than the amount required by law but our land area is too small to be considered a city, the same with other municipalities in the National Capital Region," he said. He also said the San Juan government has already remitted some P20 million to the National Government.

The mayor, who has recently celebrated his 100th day in office, likewise said his predecessor, his own brother has accomplished several things, like the concreting of streets in the town, leaving him to seek his eyes in bigger things. – Non Alquitran