Letter to the editor - The island province of Mactan

Three years ago, I proposed to the city government of Lapu-Lapu the convertion of the historic island into the Island Province of Mactan.

This proposal is being refreshed by suggesting the making up of a group to prepare a position paper based on verifiable indicators (income, population and land area) of the viability and projected capacity of Mactan island as a province.

Based on the date gathered and verified, it is further suggested the immediate preparation of a bill for filing in congress as soon as assumption to office of whoever wins in the 6th district congressional bid in the ongoing political exercise.

Sec. 10, Chapter of the Local Government Code provides that ''no creation... of local government units shall take effect unless approved by a majority votes cast in the plebescite called for the purpose.'' This provision in LGU necessitates the early passage of the bill.

The income of the Island of Mactan is certainly more than sufficient to provide for all essential government facilities and services; the population is way beyond the required number of inhabitants to qualify as a province. The projected capacity of the island''s land area is achievable by initiating reclamation projects up to the tip of Punta Engaño towards north and the defunct Shell Island, to the extremity of Cordova down south.

These development projects will hasten the realization of the dream of the late First Lady Leonilla D. Garcia to develop the southern area of the island as ''Little Hong Kong" the northern reclamation area as Intercontinental Container Port solely for foreign vessels. It will also put in motion the development of Cordova as the seat of the provincial government.

The land expansion projects are vital to the island. Right now, traffic congestion is unbearable; the farely widened thoroughfares will become very narrow again ten years from now. These projects will also open heavy industrial zones thereby creating thousands of job opportunities.

Since soaring progress in the new province is then inevitable, development of Santa Rosa as a municipality will be hastened. We also see neighboring idle islets eventually developed as tourist destinations.

If the bill creating the Island Province of Mactan is passed and becomes a law sooner than expected, the 2010 elections may see the residents of Mactan electing a congressman and a set of provincial officials of their own.

Crazy idea? Probably, but is it not a fact that all great things start as crazy ideas?

Lorenzo M. de la Serna
Lapu-Lapu City