Cebu's congressional districts: Then and now

And so, the lines are drawn. The first, sixth, and seventh district congressional seats are uncontested. But in the 2nd District, Tata Salvador will give Edsel Galeos a run for his money. Pablo John Garcia will clinch his reelection bid, with two unpopular challengers. The 4th District will be a close fight but the incumbent, Janice Salimbangon, has a slight edge. I think that Duke Frasco will still win but with a very slim margin. The Sitoy scions are divided, giving the bet from Consolacion the edge in the new district with less than 200,000 voters. The wife of Mayor Ahong Chan will win in Lapu-Lapu. Cutie del Mar will clinch Cebu City North District and Tomas Osmeña will fight for his life against Edu Rama in the South District.

Did you know that in the ‘50s, ‘60s, and early ‘70s, there were no districts for Cebu City? The whole city, together with Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, used to be components of the old 2nd District, then controlled by the Osmeñas? Danao, together with neighboring towns were parts of the 1st District with Ramon Durano as the kingpin, while Talisay all the way to Carcar were parts of the 3rd District, with Maximino Noel and later Ernesto Bascon as leader.

Cebu's original 1st District, dominated by the Rodriguezes and later by the Duranos, was composed of Bogo, Borbon, Carmen, Danao, Pilar, San Francisco, Tabogon, Tudela, Poro, and Sogod. The 2nd District, the Osmena's turf, included Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Liloan, Compostela, Consolacion, and Cordova. The 3rd District, dominated by Carcar's Minion Noel, included Talisay, Minglanilla, Naga, San Fernando, and Carcar. The fourth, called SAAD, included Sibonga, Argao, Alcoy, and Dalaguete, and was under the domination of the Kintanars of Argao, the last of whom was Isidro Kintanar.

The 5th District was the Cuenco fiefdom, and included Alegria, Alcantara, Badian, Boljoon, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Moalboal, Oslob, and Samboan. The 6th District dominated by Maning Zosa of Barili comprised Ronda, Dumanjug, Barili, Pinamungajan, and Toledo. The 7th District of Tereso Dumon, included Balamban, Asturias, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Tuburan, Tabuelan, San Remigio, Madridejos, and Sta Fe. The 1973 Constitutional Convention changed the configuration into what it is today with some modifications later. Today's 1st District is exactly the old 3rd District, from Talisay to Carcar, except that Sibonga was taken from the old 4th District and added to it.

The 2nd District, as originally configured by then Con-Con delegate Hilario Davide Jr., was the entire old 4th District minus Sibonga plus the whole of the old 5th District, from Boljoon to Alcantara and two towns of the old 6th District, namely Ronda and Dumanjug. But later, it was split into ADABOSS or Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon Oslob, Santander, and Samboan, as the 2nd District, and now the 7th District, DRAMMBAG or Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Badian, Alegria, and Ginatilan. The 3rd District now comprises Barili, Aloguinsan, Pinamungajan, Toledo City, Balamban, Asturias, and Tuburan.

The 4th District was practically the old 7th District and is now composed of Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, San Remigio, Santa Fe, Tabogon, and Tabuelan. The 5th District now was the 1st District before with few changes, and now comprises Borbon, Carmen, Catmon, Compostela, Liloan, Pilar, Poro, San Francisco, Sogod, and Tudela. The 6th District used to include Mandaue, Consolacion, and Cordova. But with Mandaue declared as a standalone city, Consolacion, and Cordova will become the smallest district in the province.

If we really think about all these, they are products of the politicians' capricious gerrymandering to suit their own interests and designs. The people couldn't care less. They have more basic problems to worry about.