ILOILO City – The proposed reapportionment of this southern city into two legislative districts has gained more ground.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) recently passed a resolution backing House Bill 8477, or “An Act Reapportioning the Lone Legislative District of the City of Iloilo.”
“We support the splitting of the city into two legislative districts because of its benefits,” said Councilor Romel Duron, author of the resolution.
Aside from additional voice and representation in Congress, the city, according to Duron, will also get extra funds for various projects as well as other services for its constituents.
Filed by Rep. Julienne “Jam-jam” Baronda last July 29, 2019, House Bill 8477 aims to add a legislative district here to help accelerate the metro’s growth as Western Visayas’ economic hub and regional center. The bill groups the districts of Jaro, La Paz and Mandurriao as the First Legislative District, and cluster City Proper, Molo, Arevalo and Lapuz as the Second Legislative District.
Meanwhile, another bill introduced by Baronda is House Bill No. 8390 which seeks to reapportion the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Iloilo.
Under the bill, the SP, the legislative body of the city, shall be composed of the city vice mayor as the presiding officer, the SP members from each district, comprising of eight members per district who shall be elected in the district where they reside, the president of the city chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay, the president of the Panlungsod na Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan and other sectoral representatives, as members.
It further provides the incumbent representative and the SP members of the city shall continue to hold office until the new representatives and the SP members of the city have been elected and qualified.
The original member of the SP is 12. If this relative bill will also be passed, it will increase to 16 or eight councilors for each district.
Duron, for his part, said this means more public officers will be serving the people.
With this, the committee chairmanships at the city council will be equally divided so they can focus well on their respective committee.
“Madamo na gid ang maserbe para sa pumoluyo. Ma-divide ang mga committees kag maka-concentrate na ang major committees,” he explained.
Also, Duron opined it will also be easy for the political candidates during election.
“For public officials siguro ma boro-barato man ang amon kampanya. From 180 barangays, mangin 90 na lang,” he added./PN
