Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

we Congress
2™ Regular Session

6895

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish a lone congressional district for the City of Malolos. It intends
to address the growing necessity of the historic city and urgently respond to the challenge and
complexity of its growth and development.

Having grown to be a busy and bustling key component city of the province of Bulacan,
it is high time for the provincial capital to have its own representation in Congress separate and
distinct from the first congressional district of the province. The City of Malolos has now over
250,000 residents. It has greatly progressed and developed, and its economy blossomed into
industries ranging from agriculture to light-medium industrial.

In due recognition of the significance and historic role of the City of Malolos in its
contribution to our nation building and statehood, the prominence of our forefathers’ struggle
against imperial colonizers, Malolos now more than ever must be granted legislative imprimatur
for the creation of its own congressional representation.

During the early years of our republic, then President Emilio Aguinaldo declared Malolos
as the capital of the Philippines, the single most momentous act signifying the start of our
indigenous government and state capacity. The single most important accomplishment of the
new Philippine Republic was the convening, drafting and promulgating of what was to be known
as the Malolos Constitution, thus setting with the strength of legal mandate of our country as the
very first democratic and republican state in Asia.

The city’s cultural and historical heritage crafted its own growth and development. In full
service to its roots, Malolos gracefully transformed and evolved from a simple town into a full-
fledged city. Republic Act No. 8754, otherwise known as an act initiating the conversion of the
Municipality of Malolos into a component city, the City of Malolos ushered in new life to its
people and society. Opportunities and advancements were made and a new, vibrant and
progressive Malolos was born. The City government prides itself with its readiness to meet the
needs of the new Malolos with efforts focused on the delivery of adequate and essential services
catered for social welfare, business and industrial growth, public utilities and responsive
governance. Comes now 2017, the city with over 252,000 inhabitants is now more than ever
ready, willing and able to undertake a new phase in its development having its own
congressional district.

Representation in Congress is indispensable in ensuring continued and sustainable growth
and development of the City. Being a major contributor to our heritage, our economy and our
national pride, by these the City deserves to have a voice in our national government. Add to this
the needs parallel to its growth: health and nutrition, availability and access to basic social
services, the right to free primary and secondary education and access to quality tertiary
education, housing and urban facilities, public peace and security, disaster preparedness, job
opportunities and provision for conductive business environment. The city must keep pace to the


demands of a modern metropolis. Having its own representative in Congress is not just a right; it
is a demand for the city’s survival.

Our Constitution is clear and unambiguous, “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.”
Way back the year 2008, the National Statistics Office has issued a certification that the
projected population of the City of Malolos may reach more than 250,000 for the year 2010.
Based on the 2015 Census of Population released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the
population of the City of Malolos is already 252,074.

If I may now call my colleagues in the House of Representatives to give their full support
and backing in defending the constitutional rights of our people and assert our right and
constitutional power as a collective body, as the Philippine legislature, to be accorded respect as
to our determination of facts, grant the power of legislative act to this bill. A separate
congressional district for the city, in fulfillment of their constitutional right and social justice and
‘equity, sustain and continue its own growth and development. The historic town deserves its
renaissance. Our democracy and republic owe it to the city, the home of our independence and
political self-domination, to ensure that it too be granted a voice amidst our national political
arena,

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

“KUYA” JOSEANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO
Representative
First District of Bulacan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

17" Congress
2™ Regular Session

6895

HOUSE BILL NO.
Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO-

AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 57 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8754, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE CHARTER CITY OF MALOLOS.

Be it adopted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippine in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Legislative District — Section 57 of Republic Act No. 8754, otherwise known.
as the Charter of the City of Malolos is hereby amended as follows:

“Sec. 57. [Representative Legislative District — Until otherwise provided by law,
the City of Malolos shall continue to be a part of the First Congressional District
of Bulacan Province] HAVE ITS OWN LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT TO
COMMENCE AFTER THE EFFECTIVTY OF THIS ACT.”

Section 2. The incumbent representative of the First District of the Province of Bulacan
shall continue to represent the City of Malolos until the new representative of
the lone district of the City of Malolos shall have been elected and qualified in
the next Congressional election.

Section 3. Rules and Regulations - The Commission on Elections shall issue the
necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act.

Section 4. Repealing Clause — All laws, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act,
are hereby repealed, amended or modified, accordingly.

Section 5. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect after fifteen days following the
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of
general circulatior