Cotabato City as separate congressional district pushed

MANILA, Philippines - Residents of Cotabato City are pushing for separate representation in Congress, according to Maguindanao Rep. Bai Sandra Sinsuat Sema.

Sema, whose district covers Cotabato City, said the city’s population has exceeded the requirement of 250,000 residents under the Constitution yet it does not have its own representative in the House of Representatives.

The lawmaker filed House Bill 4457, which provides for the separation of Cotabato City from the first legislative district of Maguindanao to constitute a lone congressional district.

Cotabato City, per the 2010 census, has a population of 271,786, which Sema said is more than enough to qualify for separate representation in Congress.

She said separate representation would help fast-track development for both Cotabato City and the 11 remaining municipalities of her current constituency.

The first district of Maguindanao, excluding Cotabato City, is composed of 11 towns with a combined population of 423,836, based on the 2010 census.

These municipalities are Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura and Upi.  

Under HB 4457, the incumbent representative of the first district of Maguindanao shall continue to represent the district until the new representative for the lone legislative district of Cotabato City is elected and qualified in the next regular congressional elections.

The bill has been referred to the House committee on local government chaired by South Cotabato Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. for deliberation.

Sema said she is confident that the measure would be enacted into law within second regular session of the 16th Congress, which opens on July 28.