TEN newly created legislative districts will be at stake in the elections for the first time this May. The redistricting bills were authored by ten congressmen, most of whom have filed candidacies in the districts they created. Unlike the creation of local government units which is ratified in a plebiscite, the reapportioning of legislative districts throughout the country may be done by Congress to ensure equal representation, subject to constitutional requirements. In the province of Cavite, residents will elect for the first time seven congressmen, four more than in the previous elections. The candidates for the new posts are still the same seasoned politicians-- including the three incumbent congressmen who authored the bill that became Republic Act 9727 reapportioning Cavite into seven legislative districts. The situation is the same for most of the six other newly created districts that will participate for the first time in the May elections, a study by GMA News Research shows. The original constituency may have shrunk, but the base of power has been further marked out. Of the 10 representatives who authored the mother bills, six will run in their reconstituted districts. In the case of the four other authors, their relatives will run in the new districts. In all but one of the new districts, the contenders for the new posts are veteran politicians, including those who have reached the three-term limit.
'In bad taste' Ostensibly, the new districts answer the noble goal of more equitable representation in a rapidly growing country, but a study by GMA News Research shows that the creators of these new districts also happen to accommodate the political ambitions of local traditional politicians. A political analyst said there is nothing wrong, in the technical and legal sense, with creating new districts. But reaping what you sow by eventually ruling over these new territories is clearly done “in bad taste."
“Kung sa puntong moral o kung delicadeza ang pag-uusapan, malinaw na in bad taste ito at halatang layunin lamang na i-perpetuate ang sariling interes," University of the Philippines political science professor Dr. Grace Jamon said in a television interview with GMA News. “It’s a political reality
na ang mga pulitiko natin hangga’t makakalusot, lulusot. Gagamitin ang butas sa batas para makalusot. Hindi rin level ang playing field kaya ang mga incumbent, they are able to perpetuate themselves," she said.
Most populous province Of course, Cavite residents probably need more representation. It has, after all, the largest population among the provinces in the country: 2.86 million as of the 2007 census. The Constitution states that “each legislative district shall comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory. Each city with a population of at least two hundred fifty thousand, or each province, shall have at least one representative." The Constitution’s Ordinance also states that any province or city whose population may increase to more than 250,000 shall be entitled in the next election to at least one representative or more. Cavite Second District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., one of the authors of the Cavite redistricting bill, noted that in his district alone, there are 1.5 million residents. “Mahirap mag-represent ng 1.5 million people. Yan ang ginawa ko sa Second District," he said in a GMA News television interview. Barzaga said the province, with its huge population, is entitled to 15 legislative districts if the constitutional provision is followed. House Bill 4254, the mother bill for Cavite redistricting, was authored by Barzaga, First District Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, and Third District Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla. It was approved by the Senate without amendment, although two senators from Cavite—Ramon Revilla Jr. and Panfilo Lacson—filed separate similar bills. Barzaga is now running in the Fourth District, covering Cavite’s most populous LGU, Dasmariñas. Before he became congressman, Barzaga was three-term mayor of Dasmariñas. His wife Jennifer is the incumbent mayor seeking reelection. Abaya will still run in the First District, which consists of Cavite City, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario towns. His father, former First District Rep. Plaridel Abaya, now wants the congressional seat in the Second District or the lone district of Bacoor municipality. Bacoor, the second most populous local government unit in Cavite, used to be part of the First District. The old First District used to be comprised of Cavite City and the municipalities of Bacoor, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario. Remulla is eyeing the Seventh District congressional seat composed of Tagaytay City and the towns of Alfonso, General Emilio Aguinaldo, Indang, Magallanes, Maragondon, Mendez, Naic and Ternate.
Reclaiming political power Besides these three Cavite representatives, other local political families and prominent politicos in the province are fielding candidates for the new seats, which apparently have become new avenues for them to regain power. Incumbent Gov. Erineo Maliksi, now on his third and last term, is seeking the congressional seat in the Third District, which covers Imus. Before he became governor, he used to represent the Second District, which then consisted of Dasmariñas and Trece Martires cities, and the towns of Carmona, Imus, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, General Trias and Tanza. Cavite City Mayor Bernardo Paredes, now on his third and last term, is battling the younger Abaya in the First District under Lakas. Actress and TV host Lani Mercado-Revilla, wife of Senator Revilla, is running in the Second District against Abaya and a third candidate. She ran for Bacoor mayor in the 2001 election but lost. Incumbent Carmona Mayor Roy Loyola is running in the Fifth District while his wife, Dahlia, will attempt to reclaim the mayoralty post. The Fifth District is composed of the towns of Carmona, General Mariano Alvarez, and Silang. In the Sixth District, former Tanza Mayor Hermogenes Arayata Jr. is seeking the congressional seat. The Sixth District is composed of Trece Martires City and the towns of General Trias, Tanza and Amadeo. Another candidate for the Sixth District is Antonio Ferrer, elder brother of General Trias Mayor Luis Ferrer IV, who is seeking his last term.
Navotas City There is now a Lone District of Navotas City. Then Malabon City-Navotas Lone District Rep. Federico Sandoval II filed House Bill 5500 in 2006 that became RA 9387, converting the municipality of Navotas into a highly urbanized city and creating a lone legislative district. Navotas voters ratified its cityhood in a plebiscite on June 24, 2007. Incumbent Navotas City Mayor Tobias Tiangco, now on his third and last term as the local chief executive, runs unopposed for congressman of the new district under Partido Navoteño. While he does not directly benefit from the redistricting, Sandoval’s gain is the possibility of getting the Lone District of Malabon City all for himself. Sandoval, who is running under Lakas, represented the defunct Malabon-Navotas district for three terms (1998-2007). His brother Alvin warmed his seat when he won in 2007 but was ousted by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal in November 2009. The creation of separate districts for Malabon and Navotas further demarcates the territory once shared by the political families of the two cities. Since Navotas is primarily the playground of the Tiangcos, the redistricting actually accommodated Malabon political clans such as the Sandovals, Vicencios and Yambaos—all of whom are fielding candidates for congressman.
Lapu-Lapu City Cebu Sixth District Rep. Nerissa Corazon Soon-Ruiz authored House Bill 5007 separating Lapu-Lapu City from the Sixth District of Cebu. Arroyo signed RA 9726 in October 2009 that constituted the lone legislative district of Lapu-Lapu City. Soon-Ruiz’s husband, DILG Undersecretary for Special Concerns Joselito Ruiz, is one of the contenders for the new congressional post. Soon-Ruiz is on her last and final term as Sixth District representative and is running for Mandaue City mayor. The new district also created another possible government post for incumbent Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza, who is now on his third and last term.
Camarines Norte Camarines Norte Lone District Rep. Liwayway Vinzons-Chato filed House Bill 4163 splitting her district into two. RA 9725 was signed by the President in October 2009. Chato is seeking her second term in May, this time in the new Second District. Her son, Wilfredo Chato Jr., is one of the five contenders for the First District along with former Camarines Norte Rep. Renato Unico Jr., who was not able to clinch a third term following his defeat to Chato in 2007.
Camarines Sur The creation of an additional district in Camarines Sur generated a lot of noise mainly because it will benefit the President’s son, incumbent Camarines Sur First District Rep. Diosdado “Dato" Arroyo. Creating the new district would also accommodate Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., who wants to go back to the Lower House after his term ends in June. Andaya held Dato’s post for three terms before he was appointed budget secretary. With the redistricting, a face-off between Andaya and Dato will be avoided. Andaya runs in the First District while Dato gets the Second District. The other clans in Camarines Sur will also gain with the redistricting. Observers say the province, now divided into five districts, will be controlled after the elections by the Andaya (First District), Arroyo (Second District), Villafuerte (Third District), Fuentebella (Fourth District) and Alfelor (Fifth District) political families. Members of these prominent clans are the top contenders in their districts. Camarines Sur Second District Rep. Luis Villafuerte authored House Bill 4264 that became the basis for RA 9716 signed by Arroyo in October 2009. Villafuerte is seeking reelection, this time in the Third District. In October 2009, Sen. Benigno Aquino III asked the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional RA 9716, noting that it was passed to accommodate Dato. He added that RA 9716 did not meet the population required by the Constitution for a new district. The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the petition.
Malolos City Aquino, however, defended the creation of the Lone District of Malolos City in Bulacan province. The Supreme Court nullified Republic Act 9591 creating the new congressional district in January; the decision became final in March. The High Tribunal said RA 9591 did not fulfill a provision of the Constitution which requires a minimum population of 250,000 for a city to have its own representative in Congress. The city is part of Bulacan’s First District along with the towns of Hagonoy, Paombong, Calumpit, Pulilan and Bulacan. Based on the Comelec’s official list of candidates, it appears that three-term Malolos City Mayor Danilo Domingo stands to benefit with the creation of the new district. Domingo, whose last term ends this year, is one of the four candidates for Malolos City representative, running under Aquino’s Liberal Party. RA 9591 was the result of House Bill 3693, filed by Bulacan First District Rep. Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado. She is seeking her second term in the May elections while her husband, former First District Rep. and incumbent Bulacan Vice Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, is running for governor. Comelec has yet to remove the list of candidates for Malolos City Lone District in its official list of candidates.
Iligan City Incumbent Lanao del Norte First District Rep. Vicente Belmonte Jr. filed House Bill 4054 separating Iligan City from the First District of Lanao del Norte to constitute the Iligan City Lone District. The bill became the basis for RA 9724, signed by President Arroyo in October 2009. Belmonte will run in the new district.
Agusan del Sur Agusan del Sur Lone District Rep. Rodolfo Rodrigo Plaza and Mandaluyong City Lone District Rep. Neptali Gonzales II authored House Bill 3224 splitting the Lone District of Agusan del Sur into two. The bill became RA 9508, signed by Arroyo in October 2008. Plaza will not directly benefit from the redistricting, as he is running for a seat in the Senate under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Still, his two sisters are the top contenders in the two districts. Incumbent Agusan del Sur Gov. Maria Valentina Plaza is running in the First District while another sister, Evelyn Plaza-Mellana, is going for the new Second District. Their brother, Adolph Edward, will run for governor.
Additional 30 congressmen since 1987 The 1987 Constitution initially set the number of legislative districts at 200. Since then, 30 additional districts have been created. Most of the new districts were created after 2001, when President Arroyo assumed office. In the House of Representatives, there are pending bills seeking more legislative districts all over the country: a Second District for Pasig City, Iloilo City, Bacolod City and Aklan; a Third District for Surigao del Sur, North Cotabato, and Zamboanga City; a Fourth District for Cagayan; a Seventh District for Pangasinan and Cebu; and a Lone District for Angeles City and Puerto Princesa City. Some of these areas may indeed be entitled to new districts. Whether they meet all of the requirements may still be questioned (Puerto Princesa City, for one, had a population of 210,508 in 2007, below the required 250,000.) but new posts are expected to be created in the next elections. The sad political reality in the country, Professor Jamon said, is that the incumbents, the same ones who created the new districts, are those who have the means to run and win in an election. Thus, the increase in representation in Congress essentially benefits the same group of families that already control the legislature. Jamon said it is crucial to educate the electorate because in the end, the voters get what they deserve. “Kung hindi, patuloy lang ang ganitong kalakaran," Jamon said. -
With reports from Allan Crispulo Vallarta and Jamaica Jane Pascual, GMA News Research 
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