Gwen: New congressional district a big help to province

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu Third District Representative Gwendolyn Garcia said that adding an additional congressional district for Cebu is highly beneficial for the province.

Garcia, former governor of Cebu said that the proposed bill to create an additional congressional district by dividing the second district was already approved by the House of Representatives and is currently being deliberated by the Senate.

The measure to divide the second district is authored by its representative, Wilfredo Caminero.

In 2008 though, Garcia's father, former second district representative Pablo Garcia already filed a bill to divide the district and was approved in the Lower House but was not approved into law due to time constraints.

The second district currently has 15 towns and 284 barangays with a population of 423,452, based on the May 2010 census.

Caminero has stressed that the said population is twice the number required by law for the creation of a legislative district.

If the bill would be approved into law, the towns of Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, Malabuyoc, and Ginatilan would comprise of the new district while Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander, and Samboan will remain with second district.

Further, Garcia said the creation of the new district would be beneficial since it would provide additional allocation. "This will be good for Cebu because in the allocation of resources by the national government, an additional district would mean an additional allocation and additional resources for the Province of Cebu."

"This is the way we must go. Di kadto atong nahinumduman nga Sugbu-ak nga buak-buakon ang Sugbu og lain laing probinsiya. That was not the way to spur economic development and to raise more resources," the former governor said.

The legislator added that by adding a congressional district, Cebu is not only ensured of additional appropriation from the national government but also of additional representation in the House of Representatives. Cebu currently has nine legislators in the Lower House representing the nine congressional districts.

"Cebu deserves more representation," she said, adding that "at the same time, Cebu will continue to be the one undivided indivisible Cebu," if the bill would be approved into law, Garcia explained. —(FREEMAN)