SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Third Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

819;
HOUSE BILL No. a98

Introduced by Representative Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT CREATING A DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE IN THE 6™ DISTRICT
OF BATANGAS PROVINCE AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Explanatory Note

District Engineering Offices or DEOs of the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) is mandated by law to execute infrastructure programs as they are located
in each legislative district throughout the country.

With the approval of Republic Act No. 10673 also known as An Act Reapportioning
the Province of Batangas into six (6) Legislative Districts on 28 of July 2014, creating Lipa
City as the 6” Legislative District of Batangas. As of now, 6” District of Batangas (Lipa
City) and 4" District of Batangas are served by only one District Engineering Office. In such
case, the inadequacy of manpower and resources of one District Engineering Office serving
two (2) legislative districts is undeniable, where efficiency and proper management should
always be taken into consideration.

Lipa City covers an area of 20,940 hectares (209.4 km2). The total population of Lipa
is 332,386 according to the Philippine Statistics Authority Census in the year 2015 with a
density of 1,590 inhabitants per square kilometer or 4,100 inhabitants per square mile.

The 4" District Engineering Office is currently serving both needs of the two
Legislative Districts, the 4" and 6" District of the Province, and it is clearly understaffed and
might not be enough to cater the two (2) districts to support the “Build Build Build” program
of the administration. This might cause undue delays on implementation of infrastructure
programs and projects that is apparently disadvantageous to both districts.

Therefore, to be more effective and efficient in the planning, design, construction,
supervision and maintenance of existing infrastructures and future, infrastructure projects,
there is a need to create a separate engineering district office for the 6”

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill i



SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Third Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

8198
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Representative Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT CREATING A DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE IN THE 6™ DISTRICT
OF BATANGAS PROVINCE AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, there is hereby created
a sixth (6") district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) in the City of Lipa.

SEC. 2. The Secretary of Department of Public Works and Highways shall immediately
include the Department's program and operationalization of the sixth (6") district engineering
office in the City of Lipa, the initial funding of which shall be charged against the current
year’s appropriations of the Fourth (4") District Engineering Office. Thereafter, the amount
for the continued operation of the said district engineering office shall be included in the
General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 3. The Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways shall
promulgate and issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

SEC. 4, This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,