Ranjit to BMs: Redistricting is for Congress to decide
LINGAYEN—A waste of taxpayers’ money.
This is how 6th District Board Member Ranjit Ramos-Shahani regards the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s (SP) moves to push for the redistricting of the province as he pointed out that this is a job for Congress.
Interviewed by newsmen after the SP session last August 5, Shahani said the success of the proposed redistricting plan depends on the congressional representatives from Pangasinan and not the SP.
“We should not waste the taxpayer’s money discussing the redistricting and or even the boundary dispute since the one in charge of these issues is the Congress of the Philippines and not the SP,” said Shahani, a former two-term congressman of the 6th District and a former vice governor.
The redistricting plan was recently proposed anew by Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr., also from the 6th District, and approved by the SP through Provincial Resolution No. 4-2013 about three weeks ago.
The majority of the board members agreed to create an ad hoc committee that will conduct public consultations and come up with a study on the possibility of increasing to eight legislative districts the current six districts of the province.
“I say to my colleagues in the SP that I’m just trying to save a little money and do something else other than talking about things that cannot be solved in our own level,” Shahani said.
He urged the SP to instead focus on matters that will get Pangasinan to its goal of becoming the number one province in the country.
Bince said there is a need to add two more districts in the province considering the province’s population, which is about 2. 8 million.
The senior board member said that through redistricting, the province will be able to have access to additional funds for social services.
In the first consultation attended by representatives of congressmen, only 3rd District Rep. Rose Mary Baby Arenas fully supported the idea of redistricting while the five others expressed reservations.
BOUNDARY DISPUTE
Meanwhile, Shahani believes that the boundary dispute between Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet should be solved by creating joint development projects that will benefit all the provinces instead of resorting to adjudication.
Shahani cited as an example the dispute between the Philippines and Malaysia over Sabah, which he said was resolved when the two countries agreed to enter into a joint development programs through the initiative of then President Fidel V. Ramos, Shahani’s uncle.
He suggested the construction of a road that will create a connection between the disputing provinces.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
