Friday, March 22, 2019

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

GenSan LGU hopeful with creation of new congressional district

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 22 March) – The city government expects more developments in the city in the coming years, with the approval by President Rodrigo R. Duterte of the law that created a separate congressional district for the area.

Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Friday the move mainly complements with the efforts of the local government and stakeholders to transform the area into one of the country’s premiere cities.

The President signed last 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 has long been asking for this change to come and now it is finally here,” the mayor said in a statement.

With the city now a lone congressional district, Rivera said it will have a better representation in the national government.

He urged residents “to take part in this historic change in the city” as it moves forward with the plans to establish the area as the “economic beacon of South Cotabato.”

“This is the perfect time where we can fully utilize all of our resources to ensure that GenSan will become a premier city of the country,” Rivera said.

He lauded Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao and South Cotabato first district Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. for pursuing the passage of RA 11243 in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

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 Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes said the creation of the new legislative district is a huge boost for the province in terms of development.

She said the three municipalities in the first district will now have its own congressional allocation for development projects.

“While GenSan will become a lone district, it will still remain as a 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,” she 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 set in RA 11243.

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

https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2019/03/gensan-lgu-hopeful-with-creation-of-new-congressional-district/

General Santos City is now 3rd legislative district of South Cotabato

PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte signed into law a bill creating the lone legislative district of General Santos City in South Cotabato province. Duterte signed Republic Act 11243 on March 11 and a copy of which was released to media only recently.

General Santos City is currently part of the province’s first legislative district.

Under the law, “The First Legislative District of the Province of South Cotabato is hereby reapportioned in order to create the Lone Legislative District of General Santos City to commence in the next national and local elections after the effectivity of this Act.”

The legislative districts of South Cotabato will now be composed of: First Legislative District: Polomolok, Tampakan and Tupi. Second Legislative District: Koronadal City, Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Santo NiƱo, Surallah, Tantangan and T’Boli. And the Third Legislative District is now General Santos City.

The new law states that “the incumbent Representatives of the present First and Second Legislative Districts of the Province of South Cotabato shall continue to represent the districts until the new Representatives shall have been elected and qualified.”

Moreover, “the Commission on Elections shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act within 30 days after its effectivity”. General Santos is classified as a highly urbanized first-class city and the 15th most populous city in the country with 594,446 inhabitants as per 2015 census, according to the Philippine Information Agency.

The Act was passed by the House of Representatives on May 2, 2017, amended by the Senate on September 3, 2018 and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on January 29, 2019. (Azer Parrocha)

https://mindanaoexaminer.com/general-santos-city-is-now-3rd-legislative-district-of-south-cotabato/