The Senate has approved on third and final reading the bill which sought to reapportion certain legislative districts in Cavite province.
Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, said House Bill No. 5367 sought to reapportion certain legislative districts in Cavite province which, in effect, would make General Trias City its own legislative district.
“Our measure is about more than giving General Trias a greater say in its future by making its own legislative district. It is also about deepening democracy by enhancing the ratio of representation afforded to the other Local Government Units in the 6th District,” Angara said in his sponsorship speech.
Our measure is about more than giving General Trias a greater say in its future by making its own legislative district.
The veteran legislator said the Constitution allowed a representative for cities with more than 250,000 population. Based on the National Census, he said, more than 350,000 people resided in General Trias by yearend last year.
“The Constitution states that legislative districts should be apportioned among the provinces, cities and the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance with the number of their respective inhabitants and on the basis of a uniform and progressive ratio to give equal representation to an equal number of people,” the seasoned lawmaker explained.
Aside from General Trias, the youthful senator said, the city of Trece Martires and municipalities of Tanza and Amadeo currently comprise the 6th District. As of the 2015 census, the 6th district was the 10th most populous in the country with 734,000 residents.
Angara said General Trias had become among the fast-rising centers of growth in the greater Metro Manila area. Many who work in Manila had chosen it as their home.
Many who work in Manila had chosen General Trias as their home.
“With such population, it is high time that General Trias be made into its own legislative district,” he said.