Escudero: CamSur division should be left to people
-A A +AWednesday, September 26, 2012
MANILA -- Politicians should no longer debate whether it would be wise and economical to split Camarines Sur into two provinces, Senator Francis Escudero said, as he left the decision to the people through a plebiscite.
"Let's just leave the choice and decision to the people of Camarines Sur and let us all respect their choice," he said in a chance interview.
House Bill 4820, a bill creating the province of Nueva Camarines out of Camarines Sur, is currently in the period of interpellation at the Senate as Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accused Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile of hastening its passage.
Escudero denied this, saying the bill has been pending in the Senate for over a year.
Under the bill, no new district will be created if the division of the province pushes through. While an additional district may mean additional taxes, it will also mean bigger funds for public services, Escudero said.
"For every new district created, more funds will flow into that area. In Sorsogon, for instance, we have two districts only. A congressman's CDF (Countrywide Development Fund) is P70 million, so the province enjoys P140 million for different projects. If we get three districts, the funds to be poured into Sorsogon becomes P210 million," Escudero said. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)
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