BACOLOD City Mayor Monico Puentevella has thanked Negros Occidental Representative Alfredo Benitez (third district) for his gesture of offering to help Bacolod push for the re-filing of House bill that will divide the Lone District of Bacolod City into two congressional districts.
“I thank Congressman Albee for his exemplary gesture of offering to sponsor the redistricting of Bacolod Lone Congressional District. I am happy with his gesture. Before I talked to him, he already volunteered to help Bacolod," the mayor said.
Benitez in an earlier interview said he is willing to help Bacolod if there are compelling reasons, but he clarified that as a show of parliamentary courtesy, he would rather that Bacolod Representative Evelio Leonardia file the bill.
Puentevella had said that he will look for a congressman who will file the bill after Leonardia decided that he is no longer supporting the proposed re-districting despite expressing support to the proposal when he was still mayor.
The City Council has passed a resolution recently unanimously supporting Bacolod’s bid to become two congressional districts.
Leonardia had said that apportioning Bacolod into two districts is no longer practical because the Priority Development Assistance Fund (Pdaf) that is the real purpose of pushing for the redistricting of Bacolod has been abolished.
Puentevella added that the compelling reasons are all stated in the executive order issued by the former mayor.
He acknowledged that it is a reality that when the mayor and congressman are not politically allied, there are difficulties in pushing the progress of the city.
“This is beyond personalities because the proposed set up will be beneficial to the city even without the Pdaf,” Puentevella said.
