SP says no to 7th district
LINGAYEN—The Sangguniang Panlalawigan is poised to oppose House Bill 4297 approved by the House of Representatives last week which will re-distribute towns and create an additional district in the province.
A provincial board resolution, authored by 2nd District Board Member Von Mark Mendoza, will be put forward in this Monday’s session for approval then will be sent to the Senate which is currently reviewing the bill before passing it into law.
Sixth district Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr. said majority of the members of the board are against the bill and they expect no problem about its immediate approval.
“Nakikita namin mukhang yong bill na yon is pure and simple gerrymandering,” Bince told The PUNCH.
Board Member Raul Sison, who represents the Pangasinan Councilor’s League and is an ex-officio member of the provincial board, said the re-appropriation of towns and the formation of a 7th district is not necessary and will only jeopardize the plans and programs of both incumbent and aspiring local officials.
“Mangangapa yong mga andiyan na at yong mga naga-aspire,” Sison said.
House Bill 4297 is sponsored by Reps. Arthur Celeste, Victor Agbayani and Ma. Rachel Arenas of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd congressional districts, respectively.
However, Celeste has since withdrawn his support for the bill.
“…we have come to the conclusion that it is not for the best interest of the district in particular and the province in general,” Celeste said in a letter dated August 27, 2008 to Sen. Benigno Aquino III, chairtman of the Committee on Local Government.
“The province of Pangasinan is already well represented… and any move to create a seventh district is already irrelevant and will only cause additional financial and administrative constraints on the provincial and national government,” Celeste also said in the letter.
Under the proposal, 1st district will be composed of Alaminos City, Agno, Anda, Bani, Bolinao and Burgos; 2nd district will include Binmaley, Dasol, Infanta, Labrador, Lingayen, Mabini and Sual; 3rd district will include San Carlos City, Aguilar, Basista, Bugallon, Mangatarem and Urbiztondo.
The 4th district, currently under former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., will include Bayambang, Calasiao, Malasiqui, Mapandan and Sta. Barbara while the 5th district will include Dagupan City, Manaoag, Mangaldan, San Fabian and San Jacinto.
Sixth district will include Urdaneta City, Alcala, Bautista, Binalonan, Laoac, Pozorrubio, Sison, Sto. Tomas and Villasis and the new and 7th district will include Asingan, Balungao, Natividad, Rosales, San Manuel, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Sta. Maria, Tayug and Umingan.
Celeste said the proposed redistribution of the towns is not geographically contiguous.#
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