Republic of the Philippines aaa at
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES| © ox: 16.0C1 2013
Quezon City, Metro Manila

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Nias i Lig
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS i Cy,

First Regular Session

3149 a

House Bill No.

Introduced by: REP. WILFREDO S. CAMINERO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The compelling and urgent reasons for the creation of the Seventh
Legislative District of the Province of Cebu have been fully deliberated and
favorably acted upon by the House of Representatives not once but twice, first
in the 14" Congress and the second in the 15" Congress.

In the recent 15" Congress. the eminent author of the House Bill
proposing its creation. then Deputy Speaker Pablo P. Garcia, succinctly
summarized the rationale for the creation of the said seventh legislative district
of Cebu as follows:

“The Province of Cebu (excluding its capital, Cebu City, and Lapu Lapu City) has
presently six (6) Legislative districts distributed among seven (7) cities and 44 municipalities

as follows.”

“1* District ~ with three (3) cities and three (3) municipalities”

“2 District — with fifteen (15) municipaliti
3" District — with one (1) city and six (6) municipalities”

" District — with one (1) city and Eight (8) municipalities”

District ~ with one (1) city and ten (10) municipalit

““6" District — with one (1) city and two (2) municipalities’

“The above six (6) legislative districts have an aggregate population of 2,757,580 as
of August 2007 excluding that of the Cities of Cebu and Lapu Lapu with populations of
798,809 and 292,530, respectively. Cebu City has two (2) legislative districts while Lapu
Lapu City has one district representation in Congress.”


“With a total population of 2,757,580 for its six (6) legislative districts, Cebu
Province is under-represented and is justified to have more than its present six (6). Compared
to the other provinces and cities in the country, in terms of population in relation to number of
districts, such as: (1), Davao oriental two (2) districts, Agusan del Norte two (2) districts,
‘Makati City two (2) districts, Marikina City two (2) districts and San Juan City with one (1),
it is apparent that itis but fair and equitable that the Province of Cebu should have more than
six (6) legislative districts, possibly, as many as twelve (12) representative districts.”

“Recently, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Cebu passed a
Resolution asking the six (6) Representatives of the Province to work for the passage of a law
increasing the number of legislative districts for the Province.”

“Unfortunately, the incumbent Representatives of the Province of Cebu have
‘encountered serious difficulties and problems in the course of the process of consultation with
their constituents in the municipalities and cities that may be affected by the proposed
redistricting. For example, the redistricting will involve the segregation of some cities and
municipalities from one district so as to incorporate them with another new district. This may
‘be necessary in order to comply with the constitutional requirement of “contiguous,
compact, and adjacent territory”. This is the common and vigorous objection of the
constituents in the affected cities and municipalities, and the Representatives concerned have
to respect the opinion and sentiments of their respective constituents, Thus the proposed
redistricting, particularly in the five (5) legislative districts in the Province of Cebu, appears
to be extremely difficult if not impossible to achieve at this time, However, the creation of at
least one additional district for the Province of Cebu may be achieved in the second
legislative district of the Province.”

“The second legislative district of Cebu is located in the southern tail-end of the
elongated island of Cebu, Its land area is almost one third (1/3) of that of the entire province
It is composed of 15 municipalities - more than one third (1/3) of the forty four (44)
‘municipalities of the Province. It has the biggest number of barangays at two hundred eight
four (284).”

“It has the longest coastline, its southeastern side faces the island of Bohol and its
southwestern side faces the island of Negros. It has 246.8 kilometers of national roads, the
longest among the six legislative districts of the Province. It has a total population of 401,046
as of August 2007.”

“In the allocation and distribution of national resources and services are more often
than not reckoned by legislative districts. The PDAF is one example. It is easy to see that the
allocation for the second district of Cebu is spread thin among its fifteen (15) municipalities
‘and 284 barangays. And yet, these are the very poor municipalities and barangays that are
most in need of a bigger share of the national resources and services for their development
and upliftment.”

“It is now an accepted fact of political life that the job of a congressman of the district
is two-fold to wit; (1) legislation and (2) constituency services. With respect to the second
part of the job, it is clear that the congressman of the 2™ district will have a much more
difficult time discharging his constituency services. He has to attend to the needs of fifteen
(15) municipalities, and 284 barangays, which cover an area that is almost 1/3 of the total
land area of the Province of Cebu.”

“In view of all the foregoing it is but just and proper to create, in the meantime, one
(1) additional congressional district for the Province of Cebu which shall be composed of
seven (7) out of the (15) municipalities of the present second congressional district of the said
province. The second congressional district of the Province of Cebu shall, thereafter, be
‘composed of the other eight (8) municipalities of said congressional district.”

2


“With a total population of 2,757,580 for its six (6) legislative districts, Cebu
Province is under-represented and is justified to have more than its present six (6). Compared
to the other provinces and cities in the country, in terms of population in relation to number of
districts, such as: (1), Davao oriental two (2) districts, Agusan del Norte two (2) districts,
Makati City two (2) districts, Marikina City two (2) districts and San Juan City with one (1),
it is apparent that it is but fair and equitable that the Province of Cebu should have more than
six (6) legislative districts, possibly, as many as twelve (12) representative districts.”

“Recently, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Cebu passed a
Resolution asking the six (6) Representatives of the Province to work for the passage of a law
increasing the number of legislative districts for the Province.”

“Unfortunately, the incumbent Representatives of the Province of Cebu have
encountered serious difficulties and problems in the course of the process of consultation with
their constituents in the municipalities and cities that may be affected by the proposed
redistricting. For example, the redistricting will involve the segregation of some cities and
municipalities from one district so as to incorporate them with another new district. This may
be necessary in order to comply with the constitutional requirement of “contiguous,
‘compact, and adjacent territory”. This is the common and vigorous objection of the
constituents in the affected cities and municipalities, and the Representatives concerned have
to respect the opinion and sentiments of their respective constituents. Thus the proposed
redistricting, particularly in the five (5) legislative districts in the Province of Cebu, appears
to be extremely difficult if not impossible to achieve at this time, However, the creation of at
least one additional district for the Province of Cebu may be achieved in the second
legislative district of the Province.”

“The second legislative district of Cebu is located in the southem tail-end of the
elongated island of Cebu. Its land area is almost one third (1/3) of that of the entire province.
It is composed of 15 municipalities - more than one third (1/3) of the forty four (44)
‘municipalities of the Province. It has the biggest number of barangays at two hundred eight
four (284).”

“It has the longest coastline, its southeastem side faces the island of Bohol and its
southwestem side faces the island of Negros. It has 246.8 kilometers of national roads, the
longest among the six legislative districts of the Province. It has a total population of 401,046
as of August 2007.”

“In the allocation and distribution of national resources and services are more often
than not reckoned by legislative districts. The PDAF is one example. It is easy to see that the
allocation for the second district of Cebu is spread thin among its fifteen (15) municipalities
and 284 barangays. And yet, these are the very poor municipalities and barangays that are
most in need of a bigger share of the national resources and services for their development
and upliftment.”

“It is now an accepted fact of political life that the job of'a congressman of the district
is two-fold to wit, (1) legislation and (2) constituency services. With respect to the second
part of the job. it is clear that the congressman of the 2™ district will have a much more
difficult time discharging his constituency services. He has to attend to the needs of fifteen
(15) municipalities, and 284 barangays, which cover an area that is almost 1/3 of the total
land area of the Province of Cebu.”

“In view of all the foregoing it is but just and proper to create, in the meantime, one
(1) additional congressional district for the Province of Cebu which shall be composed of
seven (7) out of the (15) municipalities of the present second congressional district of the said
province. The second congressional district of the Province of Cebu shall, thereafter, be
‘composed of the other eight (8) municipalities of said congressional district.”

2

)
Bae ERO

resentative
Second District, Province of Cebu


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3149

House Bill No.

Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE WILFREDO S. CAMINERO

AN ACT
CREATING AN ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN THE PROVINCE
OF CEBU TO BE KNOWN AS THE SEVENTH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

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

SECTION 1. Seventh Legislative District in the Province of Cebu- There is
hereby created an additional legislative district in the Province of Cebu to be known as
the Seventh Legislative District by reapportioning the current Second Legislative
District to commence in the next national and local elections after the effectivity of this
Act. Henceforth, the following municipalities shall comprise the Seventh Legislative
District, to wit:

. Dumanjug;
Ronda;
Alcantara;
Moalboal;
Badian;
Alegria:
Malabuyoe: and
Ginatilan

SN Aw RENE

The current Second Legislative District of the Province of Cebu, which shall
continue to be designated as such, shall be composed of the following
municipalities, to wit:

1. Argao; 1


Dalaguete;
. Alcoy:
Bolijoon;
. Oslob;
. Santander; and
. Samboan

NAUEWH

SEC. 2. Rules and Regulations. — The Commission on Elections shall issue the

necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act.
SEC. 3. Repealing Clause. — All laws, rules and regulations which are
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified

accordingly.

SEC. 4. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

its publication in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,