SENATORS on Monday voiced support to the passage of measures that seek to split Maguindanao into two provinces.
Senators Maria Josefa Imelda Marcos, Ronald dela Rosa, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Christopher Lawrence Go pushed for the approval of Senate Bill (SB) 1714 and SB 1824 authored by Senators Cynthia Villar and Francis Tolentino, respectively.
Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, sought to divide the province into Northern Maguindanao and Southern Maguindanao.
He said the province had vast natural resources, but was one of the poorest.
The lawmaker stressed that one way to bring down the poverty level was to divide the province into two.
“With this new set-up, government officials of each new province would be able to more properly focus their efforts in assisting lesser constituents and lesser territorial jurisdiction.
The government of each province will now be able to create projects and programs that would better address the intricacies and special needs of their respective jurisdictions,” Tolentino said.
Under the bill, the province of Northern Maguindanao shall be composed of the municipalities of Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, North Upi, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura.
The Province of Southern Maguindanao shall include the municipalities of Ampatuan, Bulua, Datu Abdulah Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hofier Ampatuan, Datu Mon-tawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Pi-ang, Datu Sa-libo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Gen. Salipada K. Pendatu, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Sharif Aguak, Sharif Saydona Mustafa, Sultan sa Barongis, Talayan, Talitay and South Upi.
For the purpose of this section, Cotabato City shall have its own legislative district effective upon the election and qualification of its representative to be held on the second Monday of May in the year 2022. The incumbent Representatives of the present Province of Maguindanao shall continue to represent their respective legislative districts until the expiration of their term of office.
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.”
“Clearly with the size and population of Maguindanao, it’s about time that it be split, provided that it has complied with all the requisites of the Local Government Code,” Marcos said.
Go, in explaining his support to the bills, said the division of Maguindanao would not separate the people, but rather help them flourish and rise as one.
“Maguindanao is so large that it is only fitting to divide it so all the municipalities will be given enough attention. Giving voice to the voiceless is the essence of democracy,” he added.
Villar sought the approval of her bill as requested by Maguindanao Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu and as a counterpart measure of House Bill 6413, the consolidated version of the bills authored by Representatives Datu Roonie Sinsuat Sr. and Esmael Mangudadatu.
Gatchalian moved that the measures seeking to divide Maguindanao be approved on the committee level subject to the creation of a technical working group that will determine the capital of the new provinces.
With reports from JAVIER JOE ISMAEL
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