Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by REP. SITTIE SHAHARA “BAI DIMPLE” I. MASTURA 
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. 
The First District of Maguindanao (now Maguindanao del Norte) is composed 
of the municipalities of Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, 
Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan 
Mastura, Talitay (Sultan Sumagka) and Upi, as well as the independent city of 
Cotabato City.  It has an area of 3988.82 km2 (1540,09 sq.mi.). 
According to the 2020 Census of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the 
municipalities comprising the First District have a total population of 619,421.1 
Meanwhile, the independent component city of Cotabato City, which is included in 
the First Legislative District, has a population of 325,0792, and is considered as the 
most populated city.  Taken together, the whole First District of Maguindanao 
(Maguindanao del Norte) with Cotabato City has a total population of NINE 
HUNDRED FORTY THREE THOUSAND AND THIRTY SEVEN (943,500) 
inhabitants. 
However, the First Legislative District of Maguindanao (now Maguindanao del 
Norte) is served by only one District Engineering Office (DEO) – the Cotabato City 
District Engineering Office, which covers all the barangays in Cotabato City and 
shoulders jurisdiction over all infrastructure and public works in the city. Since it is the 
1 According to the 2020 PSA Census, the Municipality of Barira has a population of 36,143; Buldon has 39,684; 
Datu Blah T. Sinsuat has 28,243; Datu Odin Sinsuat has 116,768; Kabuntalan has 25,439; Matanog has 36,034; 
North Kabuntalan has 26,277; Parang has 102,914; Sultan Kudarat has 105, 121; Sultan Mastura has 25,331, 
Talitay (Sultan Sumagka) has 17,463, and the Municipality of Upi has a population of 59,004.  
2 According to the 2020 PSA Census 
November 15, 2022
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only DEO, is serving the needs of both Cotabato City and the First District of 
Maguindanao (Maguindanao del Norte), it is clearly understaffed and is not enough to 
cater to the needs of the whole District, as proven by the current dilapidated state of the 
roads and bridges and their inability to withstand natural calamities such as Typhoon 
Paeng. 
 
 The inadequacy of manpower and resources of one District Engineering Office 
serving 943,500 is undeniable, where efficiency and proper management is and should 
always be taken into consideration. This might cause undue delay on the 
implementation 
of 
infrastructure 
programs 
and 
projects 
that 
is 
apparently 
disadvantageous to the whole district. 
 
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 1st  
District of Maguindanao (now Lone District of Maguindanao del Norte). 
 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
SITTIE SHAHARA ‘BAI DIMPLE’ I. MASTURA 
 
 
 
 
 
Representative, First District of Maguindanao  
with Cotabato City (now Lone District of Maguindanao  
del norte with Cotabato City) 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by REP. SITTIE SHAHARA “BAI DIMPLE” I. MASTURA 
AN ACT CREATING A DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE IN THE FIRST 
DISTRICT 
OF 
MAGUINDANAO 
WITH 
COTABATO 
CITY, 
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 District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways 
(DPWH) in the Lone District of Maguindanao del Norte with Cotabato City. 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of Department of Public Works and Highways shall immediately 
include the Department’s program and operationalization of the District Engineering 
Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Lone District of 
Maguindanao del Norte with Cotabato City, the initial funding of which shall be charged 
against the current year’s appropriations. 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, 
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