Aklan redistricting bill now in the Senate

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The bill creating two districts in Aklan is now in the hands of the senators.

House Bill No. 5768 authored by Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco, Jr. proposed to reapportion the province of Aklan from the present one legislative district to two legislative districts.

Before the legislative break, the proposed legislative measure has been endorsed to the Senate for deliberations by the Senate Committee on Local Government chaired by Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr.

The Senate on June 12, 2015 adjourned its session and will open its third regular session of the 16^th Congress on July 26, 2015.  

HB 5768, originally filed as HB 112 on July 1, 2013 by Haresco, was recommended for approval by the 16^th Congress committee on local government chaired by South Cotabato Rep.Pedro Acharon, Jr. based on its Committee Report No. 723 on May 18, 2015. 

The plenary unanimously approved the bill on third and final reading on June 2, 2015 with 197 affirmative votes and no negative votes, and received by the Senate two days later.

The redistricting bill will have First Legislative District and Second Legislative District. The first district would have eight towns. These are Altavas, Balete, Banga, Batan, Kalibo, New Washington, Libacao and Madalag. The second legislative district shall be composed of nine municipalities of Buruanga, Ibajay, Lezo, Makato, Malay, Malinao, Nabas, Numancia and Tangalan.

The two proposed districts meet the 250,000 population requirement. The districts are also “practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territories.” 

Aklan province has a total population of 535,725 based on the 2010 census of population and housing issued by the National Statistics Office. The proposed first legislative district has a population of 282,395 while the second district has a population of 253,330.

If the Senate passed the bill on third reading before the filing of certificate of candidacy on October, the bill is then referred to the House of Representatives for concurrence. 

If the House-approved version is compatible with that of the Senate, the final copy of the bill signed by Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte is submitted to Malacanang for the final action of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. 

The redistricting will take effect fifteen days following its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.