It’s good that the proposal making Mandaue City a separate congressional district was finally rejected by Cebu’s top officials. They made the right move since the proposal would only create a real legal obstacle.
During a closed-door meeting held the other day, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Representatives Pablo Garcia, Pablo John Garcia, Benhur Salimbangon and Luigi Quisumbing all agreed to turn down the proposal, saying that the plan is not yet feasible due to some legal impediments.
It can be recalled that the city’s barangay officials came up with a manifesto urging Quisumbing to file a bill turning the city into a separate congressional district. A separate district, according to the barangay officials, who are composed of barangay captains, would “bring overwhelming development” to the city.
We can understand such clamor, which is a valid one. It is but a right of these barangay leaders to push for a Congress representation if that is what’s good for their city.
It cannot be denied that being the industrial hub of Metro Cebu, Mandaue City deserves to have its own representation in Congress. It can very well meet all the requirements to become a separate district.
But the city’s barangay leaders should also consider the fact that carving Mandaue out of the sixth district will have grave legal consequences as far as the remaining population of the district is concerned.
As we all know, Lapu-Lapu City has already became a separate district, which left the sixth district now functioning under Mandaue City and the towns of Consolacion and Cordova.
Therefore, as Quisumbing had said, making Mandaue City a separate district will have legal obstacle for sixth district because it would only be operating under Consolacion and Cordova.
Only through redistricting can Mandaue City be allowed to break away from sixth district. Making the city a separate congressional district today will only bring question as far as sixth district’s representation in Congress is concerned.