Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 9) — The Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading three measures that seek to create new legislative districts in Caloocan City, Bulacan, and Maguindanao province.
With a 20-0-0 vote, senators approved House Bill No. 7700 which divides the First District of Caloocan City into two, creating the Third Legislative District which will take effect in the 2022 national and local elections. The First District will cover Barangays 1, 2, 3, 4, and 77 up to 177. Meanwhile, the Third District will be composed of Barangays 178 until 188.
Senator Francis Tolentino, sponsor of the measure and chairman of the Local Government Committee, said the bill was necessary as Caloocan’s First District was the most populous district in the country with 1.19 million residents.
The upper chamber also voted 21-0-0 for House Bill 6867 which divides Bulacan province further into six districts. Bulacan currently has four districts as well as the lone district of San Jose Del Monte City. But the new bill will move the municipalities of Guiguinto, Balagtas, Pandi, and Bocaue to the Fifth District, and the towns of Sta. Maria, Norzagay, and Angat to the Sixth District.
The bill states all incumbent Congress members of the province shall continue to hold office until the expiration of their terms. The Commission on Elections shall issue the rules and regulations for both measures, each of the bills said.
Maguindanao
Legislators also passed House Bill 6413 with a 22-0-0 vote, pushing to split Maguindanao province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. The northern Maguindanao province will get the municipalities of Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, North Upi, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, and Talitay. Maguindanao Del Sur will then get the remaining 24 municipalities.
Tolentino said the bill will allow effective delivery of public services in the areas — a sentiment shared by some of his colleagues.
“They have 36 municipalities, with 508 barangays so time has come really for their province also to be geographically set apart to make it a bit more manageable for their leaders,” said Senator Miguel Zubiri, who also noted that the measure has been pushed in Congress ever since his first term as Senator in 2008.
However, residents of affected areas will still have to vote in a plebiscite organized by the Comelec to approve the establishment of the new provinces. The plebiscite should be conducted within 90 days from the effectivity of the law, the expenses of which shall be covered by the present province of Maguindanao, the bill said.
Provincial officials will be elected in the May 2022 national and local polls, but if the law is ratified within six months or more prior to the elections, the vice governor and the next ranking elective member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the present Maguindanao, who are residents of Maguindanao del Norte, will assume as its acting governor and acting vice governor respectively. Meanwhile, the incumbent governor of Maguindanao will take the helm of Maguindanao del Sur.
The ownership of provincial assets and properties of each local government unit shall belong to the province where it is situated, the bill added. Moreover, obligations, debts and assets shall be shared or paid equally by the two new provinces, while transitory projects and activities will be financed by the present Maguindanao province, the measure provided.
