An open letter to her Excellency Gloria M. Arroyo
March 12, 2009
HER EXCELLENCY GLORIA M. ARROYO
President
Republic of the Philippines
Re: Letter-Appeal to reconsider support for the creation of 100 additional Congressional/Legislative Districts
Dear Madam:
This is an off-shoot of our opposition to HB No. 4256 (reapportioning Iloilo City into Two Districts). We find that the purpose of the said bill was only to serve and accommodate the political interests of the local politicians belonging to “Lakas Party” in the city without regard to the provisions of the Constitution and the economic harm it could cause us. In line with this, we wrote a letter to Sen. Aquino showing our stand on the matter which letter is hereto attached.
Our opposition is anchored on, at least, three (3) grounds. They are:
1. Iloilo City has only a population of 418,710 per census conducted by the NSO. Hence, it does not meet the required 250,000 population to create another legislative district;
2. If another district will be created with less than 250,000 population, in violation of the law, it will set a bad precedent because other legislative districts, if not all, will also seek to create an additional district for the sole purpose of serving certain political accommodations. Hence, the justification advanced by the bill’s proponent that when a legislative district exceeds a population of 250,000, another district may be created to represent any excess thereof, may create a scenario where a legislative district having a population of 260,000 can have two (2) legislative districts by having one (1) of it maintain 250,000 population and another district to represent the remaining 10,000. If this can be done in Iloilo City, why can’t the same be done in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th districts of Iloilo Province? Or maybe, why not also in Negros, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, Manila, Ilocos, Pampanga, Palawan, Maguindanao, Jolo, Sulu, or in all the cities and provinces of the country from Aparri to Jolo? As a result, if we start allowing it in Iloilo City, in violation of the law, others will follow and we can expect an increase of membership in the House of Representatives from about 240 to 480, thereby increasing the national budget requirement to fund the offices of the additional 240 congressmen;
3. In these times of crises and unceasing imposition of the 12% EVAT practically upon all basic needs of our people in order to meet our budget deficit, to create more legislative districts, at this point in time, even in violation of the law, will undoubtedly worsen our economic situation because the deficit will be increased by the needed funds for the offices of the additional 240 congressmen.
Very recently Sec. Ermita announced that Malacañang supports the Enrile Bill seeking to create additional 100 legislative districts in the country thereby increasing the number of congressmen to consist the House in the next Congress.
I therefore appeal to your sense of leadership to reconsider your stand to support the said bill seeking to increase the number of congressional districts by 100. Instead of increasing the number of congressmen in our country which would cost around P1,500,000,000.00 for their salaries and allowances alone, plus their P70,000,000,000.00 in terms of pork barrel which have gained the suspicion of being laden with graft and corruption, these amounts, in the several billions of pesos, be pooled together to create more jobs for our dislocated workers who returned home from abroad including those who lost their jobs due to the economic crisis we are into. I am sure, the execute branch, with all the built-in agencies and offices under your leadership, is in a much better position to decide what government projects and programs should be made.
To increase the number of congressmen by 100, in these times of serious economic crisis and even when well-managed private companies are cost-cutting by way of streamlining their employees, is against sound fiscal management. In Iloilo City, to create another legislative district solely for the purpose of political accommodation even it does not meet the required population, is not only unconstitutional but a clear waste of people’s money.
Most respectfully yours,
(SGD.) DANIEL V. CARTAGENA
Iloilo City
cartagenalawoffice@yahoo.com