Guv: Why not redistrict entire Cebu province?

CEBU, Philippines - Instead of  just splitting the se-cond district into two, why not redistrict the entire Cebu province?

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said he is not only amenable to the idea of dividing the second district into two, he liked to have the entire province redistricted.

He said that because Cebu is huge, there are those that are left out in terms of services.

“Naay towns and cities nga dako kaayo, pwede(There are towns and cities so big they can be made into) ma-lone district. Or tag-gutlo nalang ka lungsod, or kaupat kada (three to four towns per) district…Pwede gani mahimong (We could even have) nine or 10 (districts). Ako lang pud nang huna-huna (That is just my thought),” said Davide.

The governor said he already made consultations on his idea, which he said needs “further studies” to ensure the  feasibility  of having  more districts. Cebu currently has six congressional districts for its 44 towns and seven component cities.

The governor said that if Cebu has more congressmen, it would have bigger representation in Congress. This is also practical, he said, because those aspiring to represent their district would end up spending less since the constituency is composed of fewer towns.

He mentioned the second district, which he said has to be divided into two as it is “dako ra kaayo” (too big).   He said that being a highly urbanized city, like neighboring Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue deserves to have a lone district.

Cebu second district mayors, meanwhile, are also in favor of splitting their district into two.

Ginatilan Mayor Dean Michael Singco said they already passed a resolution supporting the move when it was first proposed by former Rep. Pablo Garcia.

He said that all the mayors in the second district already expressed their support that time.

“Karon, mao gihapon, in favor gihapon mi kay para namo mura’g makaayo man (And even until now we are in favor because we think it would benefit us),” Singco said.

Second district Rep. Wilfredo Caminero filed House Bill 3149 that sought to create an additional legislative district in Cebu, to be known as the seventh legislative district.

The second legislative district of Cebu is composed of 15 municipalities – more than a third of the 44 municipalities of the province. It has the biggest number of barangays at 284.

Singco said that because the district is big, some barangays may no longer be attended to by the congressman due to its wide area.

“Kung dako ang area lisod kayo pagsuroy sa usa ka congressman,” Singco said.

Under Caminero’s proposal, the new district would comprise the municipalities of Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, Malabuyoc and Ginatilan. The municipalities of Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander and Samboan would remain in the current second district.

Caminero said the proposal for a seventh legislative district was fully deliberated and favorably acted upon by the House of Representatives during the 14th and the 15th Congresses when Garcia the second district congressman.

Garcia filed House Bill 3865 in 2008 seeking to divide the province’s largest congressional district.  In 2011, the bill was approved by the House committee on local government, which submitted it to the Senate.

Caminero said Cebu Province is underrepresented and that the second district has some of the poorest municipalities and barangays, which naturally need a bigger share of national resources and services. — with Liv G. Campo/RHM (FREEMAN)