Residents of the province of Rizal’s second district may look forward to being better served by their government, as the Senate on Monday approved on Third Reading a bill reapportioning the district into three legislative districts, its representative said.
Rep. Fidel Nograles is the author of House Bill No. 6222, which aims to reapportion the 2nd district.
“While it is a fulfilling challenge trying to serve the 2nd District, the reality is that as is, our resources always have to be stretched thin.”
When passed, the current second district would retain the municipalities of Cardona, Baras, Tanay, Morong, Jalajala, Pililla, and Teresa. The measure would then establish the town of San Mateo as the third congressional district; and Rodriguez (Montalban) town as the fourth legislative district of the province.
The neophyte lawmaker was elated over the news that one of the first bills he filed is now just the President’s signature away from being a law.
“While it is a fulfilling challenge trying to serve the 2nd District, the reality is that as is, our resources always have to be stretched thin so that it could reach our more than one million constituents, which amounts to over half of Rizal’s entire population,” Nograles said.
He added that, “additional representation equals additional resources, which would lead to a much more equitable distribution of government services to the people of Rizal.”
Nograles also noted the reapportionment’s immediate impact on the province’s pandemic recovery efforts, as the representatives of the new districts would already be selected in the 2022 elections once the President signs the bill.
“Additional representation equals additional resources, which would lead to a much more equitable distribution of government services to the people of Rizal.”
“Ang ibig sabihin nito, hindi magiging passive spectators ang mga kababayan natin sa recovery effort dahil sila mismo ang pipili ng kinatawan nila,” the solon said.
He also urged Rizaleños who are eligible to vote to register for the upcoming elections.
“Lalo na para sa mga taga-2nd District na direktang maaapektuhan ng reapportionment, huwag po ninyong sayangin ang pagkakataon na makapag-pili ng kinatawan na tunay na nirerepresenta ang interes ninyo,” the Harvard-trained lawyer said.