Bill creating 2 Maguindanao provinces submitted for House plenary deliberation

By Ali Macabalang

COTABATO CITY – The consolidated bill splitting Maguindanao into two provinces has been approved by the House Committee on Local Government, and transmitted for plenary deliberation right after Congress returns from its Lenten break, one of the sponsor-lawmakers announced recently.

In a Facebook post, Maguindanao (2nd District) Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu thanked committee chair, Rep. Noel Villanueva, and members – Reps. Rufus Rodriguez, Prospero Pichay, Johnny Pimentel for their speedy passage and consolidation of two enabling bills in three marathon deliberations last month.

Mangudadatu said he was also elated with the committee’s transmittal of its report on House Bill No. 6413 before the adjournment of the lower chamber’s sessions on March 11, as well as the expressed support of House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

Upon receipt of the committee report last week, the House secretariat was expected to include the bill in the agenda of plenary deliberations when Congress resumes sessions, according to Mangudadatu and Maguindanao (1st District) Rep. Ronnie Sinsuat.

Mangudadatu authored H.B. 3405 for the creation of Southern Maguindanao, while Sinsuat sponsored H.B. 4840 to cause the establishment of Northern Maguindanao.

The committee harmonized the two measures into H.B. 6413, which seeks to split the author’s provincial domain into two provinces to be called Southern Maguindanao and Northern Maguindanao.

Majority of Maguindanao mayors and board members led by incumbent Governor Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu and Vice Governor Lester Sinsuat attended the committee hearings.

Mangudadatu, a former three-term Maguindanao governor (from 2010 to 2019), said he was confident the plenary approval may be realized within this year.

In the Senate, he said, Senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Cynthia Villar were the sponsors of the counterpart bills.

Magundanao, tagged in national statistics as one of the 10 poorest provinces in the country, has a total land area of 9,729.04 square kilometers with a population of 1,173,933 as of 2015 census, according to Wikipedia. It comprises 36 municipalities, with Buluan as its present capital town.

“Logically, the smaller the area to manage, the more focused and faster growth to happen,” Mangudadatu said.

The proposed Western Maguindanao will comprise 11 towns, namely Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, Upi, Kabuntalan Mother, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, Buldon, Matanog and Barira. Datu Odin Sinsuat is proposed as its capital town.

Maguindanao, on the other hand, is proposed to cover 25 smaller towns, namely Pagalunga, Buluan, Sultan sa Barongis, Shariff Aguak, Talayan, South Upi, Datu Piang, Datu Paglas, Ampatuan, Libutan, General Salipada K. Pendatun, Mamasapano, Sultan Sumagka, Datu Montawal, Paglat, Guindulungan, Datu Saudi-Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Rajah Buayan, Pandag, Mangudadatu, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Salibo and Shariff Saydona Mustapha.

In the proposed law it stated "Any municipality that may hereafter be created within the jurisdiction of their provinces shall automatically form part of its constituent units."

Buluan, the present capital town, will be retained as seat of Southern Maguindanao.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/03/04/bill-creating-2-maguindanao-provinces-submitted-for-house-plenary-deliberation/