By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — Aklanons may have to wait a little longer for the House of Representatives’ decision on the proposed reapportionment of the province.
The House committee on local government suspended its deliberations on House Bill (HB) 112, which seeks to divide Aklan into two legislative districts.
Chaired by South Cotabato Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr., the committee had said it will wait for an updated Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan resolution endorsing the proposal before it could further deliberate on the bill.
Cong. Teodorico Haresco Jr. sponsored the proposed measure.
Based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing, Aklan has a population of 535,725.
With a total population of 282,395, the municipalities of Kalibo, Banga, Balete, Libacao, Madalag, New Washington, Batan, and Altavas will compose the 1st District, according to HB 112.
Composing the 2nd District, on the other hand, are Numancia, Lezo, Malinao, Makato, Tangalan, Ibajay, Nabas, Malay, and Buruanga, which have a total population of 253,330, the proposed measure said.
Haresco refiled the measure in the 16th Congress on July 1 last year after HB 3860, originally filed as HB 1006 on July 7, 2010, by then Cong. Florencio Miraflores, appeared “shot down” in the Senate.
Based on Committee Report No. 427 on January 19, 2011, the 15th Congress’ House committee on local government recommended the bill for approval.
On January 31, 2011, the plenary unanimously approved HB 1006 on third reading.
At the Senate, the final version of HB 3860, introduced by Miraflores, failed to get approved on third reading in October 2012 before the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2013 mid-term election.
Miraflores, in his explanatory note, said he was pushing for the redistricting “to address the underrepresentation of the province in Congress, given Aklan’s booming tourism industry and agro-marine economy.” (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
