Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Separate town under 6th congressional district seen to solve Cordova’s dilemma on its status
TO RESOLVE the issue on whether Cordova should be attached to Lapu-Lapu City as a district, Olango Island should be turned into a town and be made part of the sixth district together with Cordova and Consolacion.
Provincial Board (PB) Member Victor Maambong said Olango Island is bigger in terms of area and population compared to majority of the towns in the second, third or fourth districts.
Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy agreed, saying they are willing to remain in the sixth district together with Olango if this happens.
He added that it’s high time Mandaue City become a lone district, as it is “long deserving.”
However, the move to make the conversion must come from Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (sixth district).
Ruiz, in radio dyLA interview, said making Olango into a municipality will take long.
Demographic figures like population, land area and income have to be considered, she said.
They will also have to study whether separating Olango Island from Lapu-Lapu City will not affect the latter as a highly urbanized city.
They also have to consider whether lumping Cordova, Olango and Consolacion together will qualify them to become one district, which requires a population of at least 250,000.
The PB yesterday passed a resolution calling for a public forum on the creation of another district of Cebu vis-à-vis the principles of republicanism and democratic representation.
Maambong, who authored the resolution, said it is time to formally discuss the possible creation of another district as a result of Lapu-Lapu converting into a highly urbanized city.
They should also discuss declaring Mandaue City, with a population of more than 300,000, as a lone district, as it is qualified. They also need to take up the possibility of bunching together Cordova, Consolacion and Olango Island to form another district, adding Liloan into the fray if need be.
To be invited to the forum will be leaders of the sixth district, representatives from nongovernment organizations, people’s organizations and other government agencies like the National Statistics Office. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 31, 2007 issue)
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