Hoping against hope for the redistricting bill
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday confirmed that Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government, is firm in his decision not to approve the proposed bill reapportioning Iloilo City into two districts.
Treñas recently met with Aquino and Senator Mar Roxas in Manila to lobby for the approval of the proposed redistricting bill.
Aquino opposed the proposed bill citing the city’s lack of population necessary in the creation of another congressional district for Iloilo City.
Treñas, however, said the population data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) is still debatable.
He observed that the city has some 260,000 voters, meaning those who are above 18 years old, so it is possible that those below 18 years old or those adults who don’t register to vote have the same number of population.
Based on the 2007 NSO census, Iloilo City has only a population of 418,710. The Local Government Code states that it needs 250,000 population to create another congressional district.
The mayor said they are banking on the Supreme Court decision which allowed the creation of another congressional district in Makati. However, the High Court’s decision did not convince the senator.
The proposed bill reapportioning the city is sponsored by Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr.
On his part, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez Sr. said they are “hoping against hope but not giving up” on the approval of the redistricting bill.
Gonzalez and Aquino also met in Manila several times and discussed the proposed reapportioning bill. He (Aquino) is definite that the city does not qualify, Gonzalez Sr. said.
The proposed bill has been sitting in the Senate for one year and half. The way to compel the committee to render their report is “to discharge the chairman.” However, it is possible with the current status of Aquino, Gonzalez lamented.