Senate approves creation of Calamba City’s lone legislative district  

The Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to create the lone legislative district of Calamba City in Laguna.

Sponsored by Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, House Bill No. 990 was approved with 19 affirmative votes, no negative vote, and no abstention.

Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government, said the creation of the new legislative district of Calamba City would “focus on the needs of its constituents and bring them to the national government’s attention.”

“In consideration of the size and continued progress of the city, it is only right that we give them proper representation in the national government,” Angara said.

The senator explained that under the 1987 Constitution, “each city with a population of at least 250,000 shall have at least one representative” in Congress.

“According to the latest Census data in 2015, the present second legislative district of Laguna has 937,282 residents, almost half of which or 454,486 come from Calamba City,” he noted.

Angara said providing for more representatives to relay the concerns of the constituents of large and densely populated communities would allow the national government to better address their issues and problems. /ee