A campaign to divide the lone congressional district of Pasig City into three is underway.
Proponents recently asked Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo to sponsor a bill creating two more districts, saying the move would allow better representation and a bigger share of public funds for the city of about 750,000.
In an interview on Friday, lead convenor Jonjo Miguel said he personally handed their petition to Romulo on May 20. Its signatories include noted Pasigueños like former Sen. Rene Saguisag and retired Sandiganbayan Justice Raoul Victorino, he said.
In the petition, a group composed of around 50 Pasig residents representing the business, academic and professional sectors anchored their clamor on a Constitutional provision stating that a city or province with a population of 250,000 shall be entitled to a congressional seat.
It noted that Pasig has remained a lone district despite projections by the Philippine Statistics Authority that its population could reach 771,188 this year.
Pasig’s “underrepresentation” in Congress has long deprived it of much-needed public funds befitting a highly urbanized city, Miguel said. “In the last decade, before the pork barrel was declared unconstitutional (by the Supreme Court in November 2013), Pasig would have been entitled to additional funds of P630 million to P1.2 billion if it had two more seats in Congress.”
The additional funds could have been used to improve the city’s health facilities, among others. At present, Miguel said, the local government runs only two hospitals—Pasig City General Hospital and the Pasig City Children’s Hospital.
“And it’s not just about financial considerations. It’s also about democratizing Pasig, giving young leaders a chance (to lead),” said the 66-year-old former business executive. He maintained that their campaign was without the backing of any political group in Pasig, where City Hall has been dominated by the Eusebios since 1992.
Another convenor, lawyer Benjamin Bernardino, said the change was long overdue, considering that other cities with smaller populations have at least two districts. Neighboring Marikina, for example, whose 2010 population was around 424,000, currently has two House seats, he said.
Fellow proponent Benjamin Sta. Ana compared Pasig’s current situation to an overcrowded classroom: “A teacher in charge of 100 pupils can only do so much compared to a teacher who handles only a class of 30.”
Reached for comment on Saturday, Romulo, who is now on his third and final term in the House, said the petition he received from the group was “under study.”
“If the [division] would happen, what would be its effects?” Romulo said. “There are so many people migrating to Metro Manila because local governments [here] have [bigger] funds. There is a need to develop the provinces so that the people would not migrate to Metro Manila.”
The petitioners are bringing the campaign to the city’s 30 barangays to gather at least 20,000 signatures.
It was suggested that the composition of the proposed districts be as follows:
First District: Barangays Kapasigan, Buting, San Joaquin, Malinao, Sumilang, San Jose, Bagong Katipunan, San Nicolas, Sta. Cruz, Sto. Tomas, Bambang, Sagad, Caniogan, Maybunga, San Antonio, Kapitolyo, Oranbo, Ugong, Pineda Bagong Ilog and Sta. Rosa;
Second District: Rosario, Manggahan, Santolan, De la Paz and Sta. Lucia;
Third District: Pinagbuhatan, San Miguel, Palatiw and Kalawaan.