City, ABC to submit stand on bill to split Guadalupe

CEBU, Philippines – The City of Cebu and the Association of Barangay Councils will present their respective position papers on the proposed bill that seeks to form a new barangay out of sitios Banawa and Englis in Barangay Guadalupe.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama yesterday flew to Manila to attend the joint public hearing of the Senate Committees on Local Government and Constitutional Amendment and Revision of Code and Laws of House Bill 5243 authored by Cebu City South District Congressman Antonio Cuenco.

Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III presided over the public hearing, which also had Senators Manuel Roxas, Miguel Zubiri and Francis Escudero in attendance.

Rama said they were shown a map of the proposed new barangay, which he said he and ABC head Eugenio ‘Jing-jing’ Faelnar have not seen before.

“We will look at it. Me in the City Council and Jing-jing with the barangays, then we will submit our position papers,” Rama said.

The position papers will be collated and included among the considerations in the final draft for third and final reading.

Considering this development, Cuenco said it may be difficult to have the bill approved by the Senate before both Houses adjourn.

Once approved, it will be signed into a law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo before a plebiscite will be conducted.

A new set of barangay leaders will then be chosen.

Rama and Cuenco’s son, Ronald, a former councilor, have authored the ordinance for the purpose at the local level.

The United Banawa Englis Association Inc. (UBEAI) has been campaigning among its residents to support their separation from Guadalupe.

Data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) revealed that the current population of Guadalupe is 47,700 with Banawa and Englis residents numbering over 23,700.

Guadalupe has a land area and population comparable to an average Cebu town. — Ferliza C. Contratista/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)