Bill reapportioning Bulacan into 6 districts OK’d

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate approved on third and final reading yesterday a bill reapportioning Bulacan into six legislative districts from the current four.

House Bill 6867 was passed with 21 affirmative votes, no negative votes and no abstention.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, said the measure seeks to ensure equitable representation of residents of the province in consideration of its population and growing industrial and commercial sectors.

Under Senate Bill 1787, the counterpart measure filed by Sen. Joel Villanueva, the reapportionment of the province will take effect in the elections in 2022.

Calumpit, Hagonoy, Paombong, Pulilan, Bulakan and Malolos will comprise the first district; Baliuag, Bustos and Plaridel (second district); San Ildefonso, San Miguel, San Rafael and Doña Remedies Trinidad (third district), and Obando, Marilao and Meycauayan (fourth district).

Guiguinto, Balagtas, Pandi and Bocaue will comprise the fifth district while Sta. Maria, Angat and Norzagaray will comprise the sixth district.

Villanueva said the reapportionment of Bulacan would aid in the equitable growth and better representation of the 3.3 million residents of 21 towns, three cities and 569 barangays.