Bill for Benguet split filed

A BILL creating a second legislative district in Benguet Province has been filed in the Congress.

Benguet caretaker and ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Congressman Eric Go Yap filed Monday evening, May 5, proposed House Bill no. 6615 titled “An Act Reapportioning the Province of Benguet into two Legislative Districts” during the regular session of the House of Representatives.

Yap, in his proposed bill, seeks to reapportion the lone district of Benguet to two districts.

Under the proposed bill, the first legislative district will be composed of Bokod, Itogon, Kabayan, Sablan, Tuba while the towns of Atok, Bakun, Buguias, Kapangan, Kibungan, La Trinidad, Mankayan, and Tublay will compose the second legislative district.

“This bill seeks to ensure equitable representation for the constituents of the province of Benguet in the legislature and the national government by creating a new legislative district,” the resolution added.

Under the proposed bill, the incumbent representative for the lone district of the province will continue to represent and serve the province until the representatives for two districts been elected and qualified.

The Commission of Election is also tasked to issue implementing rules and regulation to carry the implementation of the proposed measure.

Vice Governor Johnny Waguis said the Provincial Board of Benguet requested Yap to file the bill in Congress.

“There will be two votes in the passage of laws in the House. Another, there will be additional funding for the province,” he added.

The lawmaker stated a consultation was scheduled for the proposed measure last March however it didn’t pushed through due to the coronavirus disease crisis.

In 2019, Board Members of Benguet also requested to the late Congressman Nestor Fongwan Sr. to sponsor a bill for the creation of two legislative district of the province.

The Provincial Board resolution said “thirty-two years have passed since the effectivity of the 1987 Constitution and there has been significant development in the country that necessitates the increase of legislative districts especially in a province such as Benguet.”

Before his demise, Fongwan Sr. filed House Bill 05679, “An Act Providing for the Reapportionment of the Province of Benguet into two legislative districts”.

“Benguet has always been represented by one representative in Congress, despite its growth in population and also the corresponding increase in its economy. This fact is disadvantageous to the constituents because a single representative in Congress cannot closely respond to all the needs of the people,” the late Fongwan Sr. said.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1855297/Baguio/Local-News/Bill-for-Benguet-split-filed