SP starts consultation on redistricting plan
LINGAYEN--- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has started the ball rolling for the redistricting plan of the province of Pangasinan as the f...
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LINGAYEN--- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has started the ball rolling for the redistricting plan of the province of Pangasinan as the first round of consultation was held last Monday July 29 with former 5th district Cong. Mark Cojuanco, Dasol Mayor Noel Nacar, reelected president of Pangasinan Mayors’ League and Engr. Rosendo So, founding chairman of the Abono Partylist as among the participants.
Other participants include Mayor Julier Resuello of San Carlos City and his brothers Joseres Resuello and Jolly Resuello, vice mayors of San Carlos City and Basista respectively, Calasiao Vice Mayor Roy T. Macanlalay, representatives of all congressmen of Pangasinan, and non-government organizations (NGOs) headed by Carmelita Duque.
The first committee hearing was presided by Board Member Alfonso Bince, Jr. who took the initiative to revive the redistricting plan because the province of Pangasinan, based on National Statistics and Census Board 2010 has now a total population of 2,779,862 and is projected to increase up to 2,893,858 in 2013.
He added that the last redistricting was done sometime in 1970 and the law allows to a reapportionment as contained in the Section 5 Article 6 of the Philippine Constitution which states that “Each district shall comprise as far as practicable contiguous, compact and adjacent territory and with at least 250,000 population and shall have one representative.”
“Redistricting will strengthen further representative democracy and result to economic and social progress of our province,” Bince stressed.
Thus, the SP has prompted to form an Ad Hoc Committee tasked to make a feasible study on the redistricting plan and to come up with a comprehensive report that would be the basis of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in seeking for the creation of two more congressional districts.
Chair by Bince, the Ad Hoc Committee is composed of Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Jr., Atty. Geraldine Baniqued, provincial legal officer, Atty. Verna Nava-Perez, SP secretary, and Benita Pizzarro, provincial planning and development officer.
During the discussions, Former Cong. Mark Cojuanco said he has nothing against the redistricting plan, however, he asked the august body to have the fifth district remain intact. It constitutes the towns of Alcala, Bautista, Binalonan, Laoac, Pozorrubio, Sison, Sto. Tomas, Urdaneta City and Villasis.
Likewise, Atty. Ulysses Butiuyan representing 6th District Cong. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, has made an appeal that towns of Asingan, Balungao, Natividad, Rosales, San Manuel, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Sta Maria, Tayug, and Umingan to remain as sixth congressional district.
The same manifestation was made by Atty. Gerald Tabaden, representative of Cong. Gina de Venecia to possibly retain the present towns under the fourth congressional district which includes San Jacinto, Mangaldan, Manaoag, San Fabian and Dagupan City.
These reactions came after Bince presented the proposed legislative districts prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee wherein the towns of Manaoag and San Jacinto will be pulled out from the fourth district while the towns belong to the fifth district will be labeled as seventh congressional district. The proposed fifth district will comprise the towns of Bayambang, Basista, Urbiztondo and San Carlos City.
In the proposed sixth congressional district, it will comprise the towns of Basista, Alcala, Sto. Tomas, Malasiqui and Villasis.
After the two-hour discussion, Bince has considered the appeal making the first, fourth and sixth legislative districts to remain intact except for the fifth district which is still subject to the consultation of the Governor together with Cong. Kimi Cojuanco as far as Bautista town is concerned. It has proposed that the said town will be put to another district together with the towns of Bayambang, Urbiztondo and Mangatarem.
For the second congressional district, Bince said that it will also be subject to consultation with Cong. Leopoldo N. Bataoil because the towns of Mangatarem and Urbiztondo have been proposed to be placed to another district.
Furthermore, Bince pointed out that only the third congressional district comprising the towns of Bayambang, Calasiao, Malasiqui, Mapandan, Sta. Barbara and San Carlos City would be practically altered. It has more than 600,000 population and has exceeded the required number of population per district.
The configurations of the two new legislative districts together with the third congressional district will be discussed on the next committee hearing scheduled on August 5 Monday.
Meanwhile, PML Pres. Mayor Nacar disclosed that on behalf of the Pangasinan mayors amidst some apprehensions will be supporting the redistricting plan “because we know this move is for the betterment of our province.”
For his part, Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr himself believed the need to increase the present six legislative districts to eight adding that having more districts would mean more fundings for the development projects for Pangasinan.
“I myself was a proponent of that at kahit nga sampu kung pwede lang dahil talagang dapat na madagdagan na ang mga distrito sa Pangasinan basta isasaayos lang,” said Espino in an interview prior to the scheduled first committee hearing.
In year 2009, Espino had debunked the passage of House Bill No. 4627 at the Lower House which calls for the redistricting of the province of Pangasinan for lack of thorough study, public consultations and lack of consensus. The bill was authored by then Congressmen Victor Agbayani.
The bill was deferred during the concurrence of the Senate Committee on Local Government headed by then Senator Benigno Aquino III.
Other participants include Mayor Julier Resuello of San Carlos City and his brothers Joseres Resuello and Jolly Resuello, vice mayors of San Carlos City and Basista respectively, Calasiao Vice Mayor Roy T. Macanlalay, representatives of all congressmen of Pangasinan, and non-government organizations (NGOs) headed by Carmelita Duque.
The first committee hearing was presided by Board Member Alfonso Bince, Jr. who took the initiative to revive the redistricting plan because the province of Pangasinan, based on National Statistics and Census Board 2010 has now a total population of 2,779,862 and is projected to increase up to 2,893,858 in 2013.
He added that the last redistricting was done sometime in 1970 and the law allows to a reapportionment as contained in the Section 5 Article 6 of the Philippine Constitution which states that “Each district shall comprise as far as practicable contiguous, compact and adjacent territory and with at least 250,000 population and shall have one representative.”
“Redistricting will strengthen further representative democracy and result to economic and social progress of our province,” Bince stressed.
Thus, the SP has prompted to form an Ad Hoc Committee tasked to make a feasible study on the redistricting plan and to come up with a comprehensive report that would be the basis of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in seeking for the creation of two more congressional districts.
Chair by Bince, the Ad Hoc Committee is composed of Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Jr., Atty. Geraldine Baniqued, provincial legal officer, Atty. Verna Nava-Perez, SP secretary, and Benita Pizzarro, provincial planning and development officer.
During the discussions, Former Cong. Mark Cojuanco said he has nothing against the redistricting plan, however, he asked the august body to have the fifth district remain intact. It constitutes the towns of Alcala, Bautista, Binalonan, Laoac, Pozorrubio, Sison, Sto. Tomas, Urdaneta City and Villasis.
Likewise, Atty. Ulysses Butiuyan representing 6th District Cong. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, has made an appeal that towns of Asingan, Balungao, Natividad, Rosales, San Manuel, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Sta Maria, Tayug, and Umingan to remain as sixth congressional district.
The same manifestation was made by Atty. Gerald Tabaden, representative of Cong. Gina de Venecia to possibly retain the present towns under the fourth congressional district which includes San Jacinto, Mangaldan, Manaoag, San Fabian and Dagupan City.
These reactions came after Bince presented the proposed legislative districts prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee wherein the towns of Manaoag and San Jacinto will be pulled out from the fourth district while the towns belong to the fifth district will be labeled as seventh congressional district. The proposed fifth district will comprise the towns of Bayambang, Basista, Urbiztondo and San Carlos City.
In the proposed sixth congressional district, it will comprise the towns of Basista, Alcala, Sto. Tomas, Malasiqui and Villasis.
After the two-hour discussion, Bince has considered the appeal making the first, fourth and sixth legislative districts to remain intact except for the fifth district which is still subject to the consultation of the Governor together with Cong. Kimi Cojuanco as far as Bautista town is concerned. It has proposed that the said town will be put to another district together with the towns of Bayambang, Urbiztondo and Mangatarem.
For the second congressional district, Bince said that it will also be subject to consultation with Cong. Leopoldo N. Bataoil because the towns of Mangatarem and Urbiztondo have been proposed to be placed to another district.
Furthermore, Bince pointed out that only the third congressional district comprising the towns of Bayambang, Calasiao, Malasiqui, Mapandan, Sta. Barbara and San Carlos City would be practically altered. It has more than 600,000 population and has exceeded the required number of population per district.
The configurations of the two new legislative districts together with the third congressional district will be discussed on the next committee hearing scheduled on August 5 Monday.
Meanwhile, PML Pres. Mayor Nacar disclosed that on behalf of the Pangasinan mayors amidst some apprehensions will be supporting the redistricting plan “because we know this move is for the betterment of our province.”
For his part, Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr himself believed the need to increase the present six legislative districts to eight adding that having more districts would mean more fundings for the development projects for Pangasinan.
“I myself was a proponent of that at kahit nga sampu kung pwede lang dahil talagang dapat na madagdagan na ang mga distrito sa Pangasinan basta isasaayos lang,” said Espino in an interview prior to the scheduled first committee hearing.
In year 2009, Espino had debunked the passage of House Bill No. 4627 at the Lower House which calls for the redistricting of the province of Pangasinan for lack of thorough study, public consultations and lack of consensus. The bill was authored by then Congressmen Victor Agbayani.
The bill was deferred during the concurrence of the Senate Committee on Local Government headed by then Senator Benigno Aquino III.
