Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Cebu congressmen to talk on redistricting on Friday
CEBUANO congressmen are scheduled to meet on Friday and talk about Cebu’s redistricting.
Rep. Benhur Salim-bangon said there is a need to study how Cebu’s problem of being “under-represented” will be solved.
There is also a need to sit down and discuss prospective measures.
Cebuano congressmen have talked about the need for more seats in the House of Representatives but there are differences on how it can be solved, particularly when it comes to redistricting.
Cordova
Salimbangon also pointed out the problem on how to approach the confusion of where Cordova will be placed.
Cordova is a target of many proposals. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to annex the municipality as Cebu City’s third district.
The idea was frowned on by Salimbangon and Rep. Pablo Garcia (Cebu, 2nd district), who both said that a plebiscite from the entire Cebu Province is needed to do this.
Districts
Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu, 6th district) wants to group Cordova with Consolacion and the fifth district’s Liloan to form a separate district.
But Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano IV opposed this, saying his district needs another representation instead.
Liloan Mayor Vincent Duke Frasco also said that even with his town merged with Cordova and Consolacion, they will not make up the 250,000 population that is a requirement to get one House seat.
Most of the Cebuano congressmen prefer to have their respective districts divided into two so that the existing districts will have two representations.
Pabling, his son Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district), Salimbangon and Durano all agree.
Salimbangon and Durano said that their districts are close to a population of 500,000.
Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, 1st district), however, is hesitant to part with any of his three cities—Talisay, Naga and Carcar and municipalities—Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga.
Salimbangon hopes that the congressmen will already have a united stand by next week. (JGA)
