ELON
Republic of the Philippines bn EN
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES /3 RECEIVED @

Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 836

Introduced by Congressman BENJAMIN C. AGARAO, JR.,

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to create the Fifth District in the Province of Laguna by
reapportioning the sixteen (16) municipalities comprising the Fourth Legislative
District of the province.

Section. 5 (3), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution reads as follows:

“Each legislative district shall comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous,
compact and adjacent territory. Each city with a population of at least two hundred
fifty thousand, or each province shall have at least one representative.”

Congress is mandated by the Constitution to make a reapportionment of
legislative districts within three (3) years following the return of every national
census. This is to ensure that in case of an increase in population of a city or
province, the increased of inhabitants are duly represented in Congress, at the ratio
of a Representative for every 250 thousand inhabitants.

Presently, pursuant to the Ordinance appended to our 1987 Constitution, the
apportionment of legislative districts in the province of Laguna, as provided by
law, is as follows:

“LAGUNA with Four (4) Districts -- First District : Cities of San Pedro,
Binan and Santa Rosa; Second District Cities of Cabuyao and Calamba,
municipalities of Bay and Los Banos; Third District : City of San Pablo, and the
municipalities of Calauan, Alaminos, Rizal, Liliw and Victoria; Fourth District —
Municipalities of Pila, Santa Cruz, Pagsanjan, Lumban, Cavinti, Majayjay,
Luisiana, Magdalena, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, Mabitac, Famy and
Santa Maria.”

Since 1987, the population of the Province of Laguna and the Cities of San
Pablo, San Pedro, Binan, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao and Calamba had tremendously
increased to 2,669,847 persons as of May 1, 2010 as per annual population growth


rate of Laguna conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), necessitating a
reapportionment of its legislative districts in order to give proper and adequate
representation in the House of Representatives to all inhabitants of Laguna.

The reapportionment of legislative districts proposed in this Bill adheres to
the standards prescribed in Section 5, paragraph (3), of Article VI of the
Constitution, i.e. as far as practicable in contiguous, compact and adjacent
territory.

While it may be true that the population in the proposed new Fifth
Legislative District of Laguna may not reach 250,000 inhabitants. However, the
Supreme Court in the decided case of “Aquino vs. Comelec” (G.R. No. 189793 -
April 7, 2010), has ruled that a population of 250,000.00 is not a constitutional
sine qua non or condition for the formulation of an additional legislative district in
a province, whose population growth has increased beyond the 1986 numbers.

Under the same Supreme Court ruling, it provides that the number of
inhabitants in the resulting additional district should not be considered. It further
clarified that population is not the only factor but is just one of several other factors
in the composition of the additional district.

Thus, to meet the increasing socio-economic demands of its people by
means of representation, the need to reapportion is imperative. The magnitude task
and troubles that beset the people in the area further show the compelling reasons
to reapportion in the soonest time.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bi ongly recommended.

"AGARAO, JR.
Congressman
Fourth (4") District of Laguna



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._836

Introduced by Congressman BENJAMIN C. AGARAO, JR.

AN ACT
CREATING THE FIFTH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN THE PROVINCE OF
LAGUNA BY REAPPORTIONING THE FOURTH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
OF THE PROVINCE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Reapportionment of the Fourth (4" Legislative District of
Laguna. - There shall be created the Fifth Legislative District in the Province of
Laguna by reapportioning the sixteen (16) municipalities comprising the Fourth
Legislative District of the Province of Laguna.

SECTION 2. Composition of the new Fifth Legislative District. - The
municipalities of Santa Cruz, Pila, Pagsanjan, Lumban, Cavinti, Magdalena,
Luisiana and Majayjay shall continue to constitute the Fourth Legislative District,
while the municipalities of the Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, Famy,
Mabitac and Santa Maria shall constitute the new Fifth Legislative District.

The composition of the current First (1*), Second (2") and 3” Third
Legislative Districts of Laguna shall not be affected by the reapportionment
mandated under by this Act.

SECTION 3. Election of Representative. - The election for the
Representative of the Fifth Legislative District of the Province of Laguna as
created under this Act shall take place during the next national and local elections
after the effectivity of this Act and every three (3) years thereafter.

SECTION 4. Sangguniang Panglalawigan. — In accordance with the
reapportionment mandated by this Act, there shall be elected in the next national
and local elections after the effectivity of this Act, two (2) regular Sangguniang
Panglalawigan members representing the new Fifth District of Laguna.


SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Commission on
Elections shall issue the rules and regulations necessary for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, rules and regulations
and other issuances or part thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved.