Lone district for GenSan seen to spur growth

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Residents can expect more developments with President Rodrigo R. Duterte's approval of the law that created a separate legislative or congressional district for this city.

This was according to Mayor Ronnel Rivera, who said Friday the city's lone congressional district complements the administration's initiatives to transform General Santos as one of the country’s premier cities.

Duterte signed on March 11 Republic Act (RA) 11243, which reapportioned the first district of South Cotabato and established a lone legislative district for the city.

“This is another milestone in the long and colorful history of this city that we should cherish. The people of this city have long been asking for this change to come and now it is finally here,” Rivera said in a statement.

He said the city will now have "better representation in the national government" as it moves forward with its goal of being the “economic beacon of South Cotabato.”

Rivera lauded Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao and South Cotabato 1st District Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. for pursuing the passage of RA 11243.

The city is currently part of the first legislative district of South Cotabato, along with the municipalities of Tampakan, Polomolok and Tupi. Under the new law, the city will become the third legislative district of the province while the three remaining towns will constitute the first district.

In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes said the creation of the new legislative district is a huge boost for the province in terms of development.

Fuentes said the three municipalities in the first district will now have bigger budget allocations for development projects.

“While GenSan will become a lone district, it will still remain as the third district of South Cotabato. That’s good for us because it means that its population and area will not be carved out of the province as part of the IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) consideration,” the governor said.

Fuentes said the coming May 13 elections will be crucial as residents under the present first district will be voting for the “caretaker” of the two legislative areas as mandated by RA 11243.

“Whoever wins as representative of the first district will have three years to manage the congressional allocation for two districts,” she added. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1065320