Luigi to monitor Mactan province bill

AT least one Cebuano legislator has signified interest in the proposed Mactan province bill to be filed by Lapu-Lapu City Rep.-elect Aileen Radaza in the incoming 16th Congress.

Re-elected Rep. Luis “Luigi” Gabriel Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district said he will monitor the bill’s progress and attend committee hearings on the measure in Congress.

“I’d prefer to hold my comments until the actual bill has been filed to see how the proponent intends to accomplish this as well as to see the possible benefits or drawbacks,” Quisumbing said.

In converting Mactan Island into a province, Lapu-Lapu City will be downgraded into a component city while Olango Island and 11 barangays will be upgraded to towns.

Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy expressed interest in including his town in the proposed province owing to its location near Lapu-Lapu City.  Cordova town is part of Cebu’s 6th district.

Sitoy proposed that the province be called Mactan Cebu province. Quisumbing said it’s still premature to issue a statement considering the bill has yet to be filed.

The proposed bill would allow Mandaue City to become a lone congressional district and create another district consisting of Consolacion and Lilo-an towns.

Lapu-Lapu City mayoral candidate and businessman Efrain Pelaez said he believes Cebuanos will oppose the bill, adding that it is another “Sugbuak” or an attempt to break up Cebu province.

Pelaez, who lost to incumbent Mayor Paz Radaza, said Lapu-Lapu City instead needs transparency and accountability in service to become progressive rather than create another province. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos