Caloocan prepares for plebiscite on division of Barangay Bagong Silang

MANILA, Philippines — The Caloocan City government is ready for the plebiscite that will determine whether its citizens support the enactment of the law dividing Barangay Bagong Silang into six barangays, according to City Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan.

Earlier in April,  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 11993, an act dividing Barangay 176 into. dividing Bagong Silang into six barangays.

For his part, Malapitan expressed his gratitude to Marcos, saying that Caloocan 1st District Rep. Oscar “Oca,” Malapitan was also pushing for Bagong Silang’s division to address the needs of residents within the country’s largest barangay.

“Magkakaroon pa po ng plebisito bago matuloy ang nasabing paghahati. Dito po natin malalaman kung suportado ng mga taga-Barangay 176 ang ipinasang batas,” Mayor Malapitan said.

(We will have a plebiscite before the division continues. We will determine if Barangay 176 residents support the signed law.)

“Magsisimula na po ang pamahalaang lungsod katuwang ang Commission on Elections sa paghahanda rito. Rerespetuhin po natin ang magiging resulta ng plebisito at patuloy pa rin tayong magbababa ng mga serbisyo sa mga mamamayan sa abot ng ating makakaya,” he added.

(The city government along with Comelec is already gearing up for this. We will respect the plebiscite’s results and we will continue to bring service to our residents.)

Aside from the largest, Bagong Silang is also the most populated barangay in the country, with around 261,000 residents.

The new six barangays out of Bagong Silang will be known as the following:

• Barangay 176-A
• Barangay 176-B
• Barangay 176-C
• Barangay 176-D
• Barangay 176-E
• Barangay 176-F

Caloocan 1st District Rep. Oscar “Oca” Malapitan, the city’s former mayor, proposed the measure. The Senate approved the bill in February, and Marcos signed the law on April 3.