City Council pushes for speedy approval of HB 4256
The Sangguniang Panlungsod unanimously approved a resolution requesting members of the Senate to hasten the enactment of House Bill 4256, a bill Reapportioning Iloilo City into two districts.
The resolution sponsored by Liga ng mga Barangay President Irene Ong was presented in last Wednesday's regular session of the city council. A recess was called before the resolution was deliberated by the legislative body. All the councilors approved Ong's resolution with no further questions.
HB 4256 was sponsored by Cong. Raul Gonzalez Jr. The bill is now with the Senate committee on local government chaired by Senator Benigno Aquino III, chair of the Senate committee on local government.
In the bill, there are two congressional districts, which follows that there will be two congressmen but one mayor. There would be additional members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod from eight to 16 members. The congressional districts would be divided according to the Iloilo River or the flow of the river in the city.
The first the congressional district will cover the districts of Mandurriao, Jaro, Lapaz and Lapuz. On the other hand, the districts of City Proper, Molo and Arevalo covers the second congressional district.
During its presentation, Ong said the creation of two districts is advantageous and beneficial to the city in terms of economic development and infrastructure projects. With two elected solons, the city will benefit from two Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF). The additional PDAF will fast-track the development of the city. The city will also have a stronger representation with two congressmen.
The same house bill is also being questioned by group of lawyers headed by Atty. Dan Cartagena. In their opposition, the group cited three reasons that House Bill 4256 should not be approved by the members of the Senate. They call their opposition as the "essence of participative democracy."
First reason they cited in their manifesto of opposition is Iloilo City has only a population of 418,710 according to the 2007 census conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO). "It does not meet the required 250,000 population to create another legislative district," they said.
The second contention of the group is that if they start allowing the commission of such violation other cities in the country will do the same. The third argument presented by the group in opposing the approval of the bill is that the creation of another legislative district will "undoubtedly worsen our economic situation because the deficit will be increased by the needed funds for the offices of the additional 240 congressmen.