The Senate approved on final reading several House bills which seek to create new barangays in Metro Manila and other provinces.
Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government and sponsor of the bills, said the creation of the new barangays would give local governments officials the power and funds they needed to efficiently serve their constituents.
As conceptualized in the Local Government Code, Angara said, the barangay could influence and direct the development of the entire country.
“These bills are being pushed to enhance the delivery of basic services to the constituents,” the veteran legislator said.
“By passing these laws, the covered barangays become eligible to receive their own internal revenue allotment (IRA), which empowers them to fulfill their mandate to provide basic services to their constituents,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
In Ilocos Norte, Angara said, Representative Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas introduced House Bill 4295 seeking to divide a barangay in Dumalneg into three barangays namely, Kalaw, Cabaritan and Quibel.
Representative Teddy Baguilat of the Ifugao province introduced House Bill 4940 seeking to divide Barangay Amduntog in the municipality of Asipulo into Barangay Amduntog and Barangay Liwon.
Davao City Representative Mylene Garcia-Albano introduced House Bill 4923 seeking to divide Barangay Pampanga into Barangay Pampanga, Barangay Alfonso-Angliongto Sr. and Barangay Vicente Hizon Sr.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte introduced House Bill 4924 seeking to divide Barangay Magugpo in Tagum City into Barangay Magugpo Poblacion, Barangay Magugpo East, Barangay Magugpo West, Barangay North at Barangay Magugpo South.
Representative Wes Gatchalian of Valenzuela City in Metro Manila introduced House Bill 4943 seeking to divide Barangay Canumay in Valenzuela City into Barangay Canumay East and Barangay Canumay West.
According to the youthful senator, several measures were also filed pertaining to existing barangays that were only created through Local Government Units’ council resolutions. These are House Bill 2924 filed by Representative Noel Villanueva which seeks to create Barangay Cristo Rey in Capas, Tarlac; House Bill 4935 introduced by Representative Francisco Matugas II seeking to create Barangay Don Albino T. Turuc in Socorro, Surigao del Norte; House Bill 4937 introduced by Representative Victor Yap seeking to create Barangay Care in Tarlac City, Tarlac; House Bill 4938 introduced by Representative Juliette Uy seeking to create Barangay Poblacion 3 in the municipality of Villanueva, Misamis Oriental and House Bill 4941 introduced by Representatives Luis Jose Campos Jr., Richard Eusebio, Eugene Michael de Vera and Arlene Arcillas seeking to create Barangay Rizal in Makati City.
“These barangays have since been funded by the LGU that created them. By enacting the following measures, we establish that these barangays are entitled to receive their fair share from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), which in turn lifts the financial burden from their mother LGU and empowers them in the process,” Angara said.
He said Representative Ansaruddin Adiong introduced House Bill by 4927 seeking to created Barangay Upper Pugaan in Ditsaan-Ramain in Lanao del Sur while Representative Ann Hofer filed House Bill 4934 seeking to create Barangay San Isidro in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay and House Bill 4942 introduced by Representative Maximo Dalog seeking to create Barangay Pudo in Natonin, Mountain Province.
“Local Government Code also allows that a barangay can be created without fulfilling the listed requirements for the purpose of enhancing delivery of basic services in indigenous Peoples (IP) communities,” Angara said.
For instance, he said, In Titay, Zambaonga Sibugay, 70 percent of the people living in the area hail from the Subanen tribe while Natonin in Mountain Province is mostly populated by the Balangao Tribe.