House committee awaits new Aklan SP endorsement on redistricting bill

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The Committee on Local Government of the 16th Congress has suspended its deliberations on House Bill No. 112 for the re-apportionment of the lone district of the Province of Aklan.

 

Under HB 112, the province of Aklan, with a population of 535,725 based on 2010 census of population and housing, will be divided into two legislative districts. 

The municipalities of Kalibo, Banga, Balete, Libacao, Madalag, New Washington, Batan and Altavas will comprise the First Legislative District.

The first legislative district has a population of 282,395.

The municipalities of Numancia, Lezo, Malinao, Makato, Tangalan, Ibajay, Nabas, Malay and Buruanga will comprise the Second Legislative District with a population of 253,330.

The House committee meeting on Local Government, chaired by South Cotabato Rep.Pedro Acharon, Jr., cited two weeks ago that it will have to wait for the submission of the updated Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan resolution before it could further deliberate the bill creating an additional legislative district in Aklan.

The proposed legislative measure for redistricting is sponsored by Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco, Jr.

On July 1, 2013, Haresco refiled the measure in the 16th Congress after HB 3860, originally filed as HB 1006 on July 7, 2010 by then Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores, appeared 'shot down' in the Senate.

At the House, the proposed measure was recommended for approval by the 15th Congress committee on local government based on its Committee Report No. 427 on January 19, 2011.

On January 31, 2011, the plenary unanimously approved on third reading HB 1006.

At the Senate, the final version of Aklan redistricting bill on HB 3860 introduced by Miraflores failed to pass on third reading last October before the filing of certificate of candidacy for the 2013 elections.

In his explanatory note, the Aklan solon cited, “the need to address the under representation of the province in Congress given Aklan’s booming tourism industry and agro-marine economy.”