Aklan solon optimistic Duterte will sign redistricting bill

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Aklan Rep. Carlito Marquez said he is optimistic President Rodrigo Duterte will sign into law a bill which seeks to reapportion the lone district of Aklan into two districts.

House Bill No. 7522 was approved on third and final reading on August 28 in the Senate third regular session with 19 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and no abstention.

Marquez said he expects to have the Aklan redistricting bill signed in early September by President Duterte before the filing of candidacy on October for 2019 local elections. 

The House of Representatives passed its own version on May 28 with the Western-Visayas bloc of congressmen supporting the measure.

On July 24, the bill was referred during the first reading to Senate committees on local government and electoral reforms and peoples participation. The committees recommended the approval of HB 7522 with amendments on August 8.

On August 14, the Committee Report No. 422 was calendared for Ordinary Business and was transferred to the calendar for Special Order.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara then sponsored the bill and subsequently the measure was approved on second reading on August 15.

“Sa pagdagdag ng distrito sa Lalawigan ng Aklan, pinalalawak natin ang oportunidad ng mga kababayan nating Aklanon upang lumahok at magkaroon ng boses sa pamamahala ng kanilang pamayanan (What is important is that by creating a new legislative district we are opening new opportunities for Aklanons to participate and have a true voice in the governance of their communities),” the senator said.

Under HB 7522, the first legislative district shall be composed of Libacao, Madalag, Banga, Altavas, Balete, Batan, New Washington and the capital town of Kalibo. The second legislative district shall be composed of Buruanga, Malay, Nabas, Ibajay, Tangalan, Makato, Numancia, Lezo and Malinao.

Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores, for his part, also welcomed the redistricting bill that will give Aklanons equal opportunity and representative in the national legislative affairs.

Article 6, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution states that each legislative district shall comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory. Each city with a population of at least 250,000, or each province, shall have at least one representative.

Aklan province has a total population of 574,823 based on the 2015 Census of Population.