Batangas has 2 new legislative districts

PRESIDENT Aquino has approved the creation of two more congressional legislative districts in Batangas province— Batangas and Lipa cities.

Republic Act No. 10673, which the President signed on Aug. 19, reapportions the province into six legislative districts and refers to Batangas City as the fifth district and Lipa City, the sixth.

Batangas City used to belong to the second district, while Lipa was part of the fourth.

The measure, introduced by Rep. Raneo Abu (second district) on Feb. 10, 2014, was originally meant to separate and convert Batangas City into a lone district. It was amended to also convert Lipa City into a lone district in the Senate on June 1, 2015, as proposed by Sen. Ralph Recto, who hails from Lipa and is the husband of Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto.

Other cities, municipalities

The other cities and municipalities will stay in the original districts:

First district—Balayan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lemery, Lian, Nasugbu, Taal and Tuy.

Second district—Bauan, Lobo, Mabini, San Luis, San Pascual and Tingloy

Third district—Tanauan City, Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Balete, Cuenca, Laurel, Malavar, Mataas na Kahoy, Sta. Teresita, San Nicolas, Sto. Tomas and Talisay

Fourth district—Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Jose, San Juan and Taysan

Abu, in a statement issued through his information officer Tito Aguirre, said it was time for both Batangas and Lipa cities to each have their own representatives in Congress.

The reappropriation of congressional district funds will also allow for an increased budget for the constituents of the smaller municipalities that used to share funds with the two cities, he said.

Juanito Icaro, regional director of the Commission on Elections, said in a text message on Sunday that the agency was preparing the implementing rules and regulations for the new law in time for the national and local elections in May 2016.

Representatives for the new districts will be elected in 2016.