Treñas eyeing 2 districts by first quarter of 2011
Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas is hopeful that the city will be divided into two districts by the first quarter of next year.
Treñas said the bill creating another district within the city has been approved in the first two readings by the House of Representatives during its plenary session.
The bill is due for deliberation for final reading in the House and is now with the Senate committee on local government, he said.
Treñas said he will seek the help of Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., chairman of the Senate committee on local government, to allow the city to have congressional districts.
He said Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon has also promised to support the redistricting bill.
Treñas said he is also optimistic that Senate will pass the bill soon.
Under the redistricting bill, the districts of Jaro, La Paz and Mandurriao, with 97 barangays, will compose the First Congressional District.
The Second Congressional District will be composed of the 83 barangays in the City Proper, Molo and Arevalo.
Iloilo City has 180 barangays.
Treñas said with two congressional districts, Iloilo City will have two congressmen. Each district will have eight councilors.
This will also provide a bigger budget for the city especially now that it is poised for bigger economic activities in the coming years, he added.
However, lawyer Dan Cartagena , who has opposed the plan to divide the city into two districts, said creating a new legislative district would mean additional expenses for the government which in turn would be assumed by the people.
When he aired his opposition middle of last year, Cartagena said the redistricting bill does not meet the population requirement set by the 1987 Constitution for the creation of a legislative district, which is 250,000.
He then said the latest census from the National Statistics Office showed that the city’s total population is 418,710.
Support For City College
Meanwhile, Treñas said he will fully support the city community college project of Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
He said he will probably lobby for more funds for the project especially from Senator Franklin Drilon.
He will also try to look for additional funding for equipment as many private groups have expressed their intention to support the school.
Ilonggo businessman Edgar Sia II will finance the construction of the college building amounting to P25 million.*PNA
