Davao Sur solon pushes for creating 2nd congressional district

Rep. John Tracy Cagas explains the need to create another congressional seat for Davao del Sur. — Photo by Eldie Aguirre

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur – Davao del Sur Lone District Rep. John Tracy Cagas is seeking to reorganize this province into two congressional districts.

Cagas said on Friday, July 25, 2025, that he has filed a measure to that effect in order to afford the province’s growing population with one more voice in the House of Representatives.

Cagas, now on his second term in office, said he bowed to the earlier clamor of some local chief executives to split the province into two congressional districts.

READ: Romualdez holds `listening session’ with Mindanao lawmakers

Davao del Sur has 10 localities; this city and nine towns, in all comprising 232 villages spread across over 2,000 square kilometers of territory.

The 2024 census counted 710,972 residents in the province.

The province is currently divided into two provincial legislative districts with five board members each. Digos City, Bansalan, and Sta. Cruz belong to the first district, while Magsaysay, Hagonoy, Kiblawan, Padada, Sulop, Matanao, and Malalag is in the second district.

Such allocation will also be adopted in determining the proposed two congressional districts for the province, said Cagas, adding the measure is long overdue.

“When I was board member in 2013, I filed a resolution before the provincial board requesting the creation of a second legislative district of Davao del Sur, but it was left on the table for some reason even if the majority of the League of Municipalities in the province (members) was backing the proposal,” Cagas recalled.

He argued that the proposal is a necessity to bring greater progress to Davao del Sur. /das