Cebu's congressional districts: unequal divisions

I thought that Cebu's seven congressional districts prior to the 1987 Constitution were more equitable and reasonable geographic divisions, but life is never equal and politicians tend to exacerbate inequality, either by design or by incompetence, lack of foresight, lack of savvy, or simple indifference and ineptitude.

In Cebu, there are conscientious citizens who care. In terms of areas, population and economic development, we can easily conclude inequality in the way the seven congressional; districts comprising the province of Cebu have been subdivided. I shall reserve comments on the four independent districts comprising two in Cebu City and one each for Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities. Since there are unequal divisions, there’s necessarily unequal representation. But our politicians seem to be mindful only of the next election.

One very glaring discrepancy is that the 3rd District which has a combined area of 1,159.34 square kilometers, is the biggest in Cebu, while the 6th District covering only Cordova and Consolacion has a territory of only 54.18 sq.km. The two districts are represented by two members of Congress receiving equal salaries, perks, and probably allocable and non-allocable budget insertions and pork barrels. No political leader in Cebu has raised this territorial incongruity. But we need to care.

Focusing on areas alone, compare the seven districts in Cebu Province from the biggest to the smallest: the biggest, 3rd District, represented by Karen Garcia (from Barili to Tuburan) composed of one city and six towns, has a combined area of 1,159.34 sq.km. The second biggest is the fifth represented by Duke Frasco with a total area of 877.67 sq.km. covering one city and nine towns from Liloan to Camotes. Third is the second of Edsel Galeos, covering seven towns from Argao to Samboan, with a total area of 740.67 sq.km. Closely following is the fourth district of Sun Shimura of one city and seven towns with a combined area of 740.41 sq.km.

The fifth biggest in area is the poorest in development, the district where I come from, eight towns from Dumanjug to Ginatilan, under the Calderons, husband and wife, for the longest time, with a combined area of 641.42 sq.km. It has allegedly the biggest flood control allocation, almost one-half of the total billions for Cebu Province. The second smallest in area but number one in population and wealth is the first with Rhea Gullas, comprising three component cities and three huge towns and a combined area of 527.06 sq.km. And the unkindest cut of all is Daphne Lagon's microscopic district of only two tiny towns, Cordova and Consolacion, not contiguous with each other and with a very small area of 54.18 sq.km. only. Its smaller than one-sixth of the town of Balamban with an area of 333 sq.km.

In terms of population, the biggest is the first with the cities of Talisay, Naga, and Carcar and the huge towns of Minglanilla, San Fernando, and Sibonga, with a total population of 809,335 as of the last census in 2020. Second in number of people is the fifth, with 643,946 residing in the city of Danao and the towns of Borbon, Carmen, Catmon, Compostela, Liloan, Pilar, San Francisco, Sogod, and Tuedela. Third is the third with 616,326 people living in Toledo City and the towns of Aloguinsan, Asturias, Balamban, Barili, Pinamungajan, and Tuburan. Fourth in population is the fourth with 540,814 living in Bogo, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, San Remegio, Santa Fe, Tabogon, and Tabuelan.

The smallest three districts in terms of population are the second, the seventh, and the sixth. I call the second ADABOSS for Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander, and Samboan, with a total population of only 257,658. It’s followed by what I call DRAMMBAG for Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Badian, Alegrias, and Ginatilan, with a combined population of 238,699. The smallest of them all is the sixth comprising Cordova with 72,915 people as of 2024, and Consolacion with 153,931 or a total of only 218,607.

I suggest that all Cebu’s members of Congress form a Cebu Caucus, together with the two from Cebu City and two more from Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, the 11 of them. It’s high time they sit down and get their acts together. They need to rise above their parochial interests, and as national officials, look at the big picture. If I were governor I would be the convenor and become the catalyst for unity and synergy among Cebu's 11 solons. They can do a lot more together.