MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte recently signed into law a measure which divides western Luzon tourist haven Palawan into three distinct and independent provinces.
The signing of Republic Act No. 11259 on April 5 divides Palawan into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur and shall take effect 15 days upon its publication in the Official Gazette.
Those under Palawan del Norte are Taytay, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Linapacan, and El Nido.
Under Palawan Oriental are Roxas, Araceli, Dumaran, Cuyo, Agutaya, Magsaysay, Cayancillo, and San Vicente.
Places under Palawan del Sur are Brooke’s Point, Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Española, Bataraza, Balabac, and Kalayaan.
“The terrestrial jurisdictions of the newly created provinces shall be within the present metes and bounds of all the municipalities that comprise the respective provinces,” the law stated.
According to the law, a plebiscite is required for the creation of three Palawan provinces, which will be held on the second Monday of May 2020 and to be supervised by the commission on elections.
Each of the three provinces shall have its own legislative districts effective upon the election and qualification of representatives.
Puerto Princesa City shall have its own legislative district by the same year.
Its residents will not be qualified to vote in the 2020 plebiscite and for candidates in the provincial elective positions.
Incumbent representatives of the present province shall continue to represent their respective legislative districts until new representatives have been duly elected, qualified and assumed office./PN
