REPRESENTATIVE-elect Manuel Jose Dalipe, Jr. of the second district announced that he is in favor for the creation of a third congressional district in Zamboanga City.

Dalipe issued the statement after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that the population in the city has increased to 861,799 as of August 2015.

With the increase in population, Dalipe said the city is already entitled to have a third congressional district since the population requirement of a legislative district is 250,000.

However, Dalipe said the creation of additional legislative district must be supported by everyone to include first district Representative Celso Lobregat, City Government and village officials as well as residents of the city.

He said the creation of a third legislative district will be beneficial to the city since there will more representation in the House of Representatives as well as additional funding for the implementation of projects.

At present, 37 of the 98 villages in Zamboanga City fall within the political jurisdiction of the first legislative district while the remaining 61 in the second congressional district.