MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/ 22 September 2012)—The senate finally approved last Thursday a bill creating a fourth district in Bukidnon, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a statement.
President Benigno Aquino III has to sign the bill into law before the new congressional district becomes official.
Marcos, chair of the Committee on Local Government, said that Bukidnon’s population “has steadily grown over the years and as such the province needs an additional district so it can be duly represented in the House of Representatives”.
“The rule on reapportionment is based on the principle of equality of representation. Larger representative districts should, therefore, be entitled to more representatives in Congress,” Marcos added.
He cited statistics from the 2010 National Statistics Office putting Bukidnon’s population at 1,299,192.
Once signed into law, the municipalities of Kalilangan and Pangantucan will be taken out from the present composition of the first district. The two towns, along with Valencia City, will compose the fourth district.
The first district will then be composed of the towns of Baungon, Libona, Malitbog, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao, and Talakag.
The City of Malaybalay and the towns of Impasugong, Cabanglasan, Lantapan, and San Fernando will compose the second district. Only Valencia City will be taken from the present composition.
The third district will be composed of Kadingilan, Damulog, Dangcagan,
Don Carlos, Maramag, Kibawe, Kitaotao, and Quezon.
Lawyer Nemesio Beltran Jr., majority floor leader of the Bukidnon Sangguniang Panlalawigan, welcomed the senate’s approval.
He was with board member Jay Albarece, provincial mayors’ league president Nenita Suyao of Kalilangan town, and provincial board secretary Apollo Maguale in the committee hearing at the senate last month.
Beltran said he authored the resolution endorsing the proposed fourth district in 2007 and filed it again in 2010. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)
