| Hecse eC SENTATIVES

RECEIVED
Republic of the Philippines pate, 26 JUL 2016

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE:
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1913
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative MICAELA S. VIOLAGO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The bill seeks to create the Fifth District in the Province of Nueva Ecija by
reapportioning the two (2) cities and six (6) municipalities comprising the Second
Legislative District of the province.

Under the 1987 Constitution, specifically Article VI, Section 5(3), it provides
that "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 (Italics ours)"

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 increase of inhabitants are duly represented in Congress, at the ratio
of a representative for every 250,000 inhabitants.

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

"NUEVA ECIJA with Four (4) Districts -- First District : Municipalities of Aliaga,
Cuyapo, Guimba, Licab, Nampicuan, Quezon, Santo Domingo, Talavera and
Zaragoza; Second District : Cities of San Jose and Mufioz, municipalities of
Carranglan, Llanera, Lupao, Pantabangan, Rizal and Talugtug; Third District : Cities
of Cabanatuan and Palayan, municipalities of Bongabon, Gabaldon, General
Mamerto Natividad, Laur and Santa Rosa; Fourth District - City of Gapan,
municipalities of Cabiao, General Tinio, Jaen, Pefiaranda, San Antonio, San Isidro
and San Leonardo."

Since 2010, the population of the Province of Nueva Ecija had greatly
increased to 1,080,440 persons as of August 1, 2015 as per 1.95% annual
population growth rate of Nueva Ecija conducted by the National Statistics Office,
necessitating a reapportionment of its legislative districts in order to give proper and


adequate representation in the House Of Representatives to all inhabitants of Nueva
Ecija

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, ie.
as far as practicable in contiguous, compact and adjacent territory.

It may be true that the population in the proposed new Fifth Legislative District
of Nueva Ecija may not reach 250,000 inhabitants. However, the Supreme Court in
the case of "Aquino vs. COMELEC" (G.R. No. 189793 - April 7, 2010), has ruled that
a population of 250,000 is not an indispensable requirement 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.

Accordingly, approval of this proposed measure, is strongly recommended.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1913

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative MICAELA S. VIOLAGO

“AN ACT CREATING THE FIFTH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN THE PROVINCE OF
NUEVA ECIJA BY REAPPORTIONING THE SECOND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
OF THE PROVINCE. ”

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

SECTION 1. Reapportionment of the Second (2nd) Legislative District of
Nueva Ecija - There shall be created the Fifth Legislative District in the Province of
Nueva Ecija by reapportioning the two (2) cities and six (6) municipalities comprising
the Second Legislative District of the Province of Nueva Ecija.

SECTION 2. Composition of the new Fifth Legislative District - San Jose
City and the Science City of Mufioz and the municipality of Lupao shall continue to
constitute the Second Legislative District, while the municipalities of Carranglan,
Llanera, Rizal, Talugtug and Pantabangan shall constitute the new Fifth Legislative
District.

The composition of the current First (1st), Third (3rd) and Fourth (4th)
Legislative Districts of Nueva Ecija shall not be affected by the reapportionment
mandated under this Act.

SECTION 3. Election of Representative - The election for the
Representative of the Fifth Legislative District of the Province of Nueva Ecija 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 therafter.

SECTION 4. Sangguniang Panglalawigan - \n 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 Nueva Ecija.

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 - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

complete publication either in the Offical Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,