House minority leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan has filed a bill seeking to create Eastern Samar’s second legislative district to provide the province adequate representation in Congress.
“Eastern Samar already meets the requirements to have two congressional districts. The entire province deserves stronger representation,” Libanan said.
“A second legislative district would also assure Eastern Samar greater access to much-needed social and infrastructure development funding,” Libanan pointed out.
Libanan served as representative of Eastern Samar’s lone congressional district for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2007.
Eastern Samar’s population has nearly doubled since 1965, when it was carved out of the larger Samar province, according to Libanan.
Libanan’s House Bill 3647 proposes to establish the first and second districts of Eastern Samar by reapportioning the province’s lone component city of Borongan and 22 municipalities.
The first legislative district would be composed of Borongan and the 10 municipalities of Arteche, Can-avid, Dolores, Jipapad, Maslog, Oras, San Julian, San Policarpio, Sulat and Taft.
The second legislative district would be constituted by the 12 municipalities of Balangiga, Balangkayan, Gen. MacArthur, Giporlos, Guiuan, Hernani, Lawaan, Llorente, Maydolong, Mercedes, Quinapondan and Salcedo.
Under the 1987 Constitution, each congressional district is meant to serve a population of only 250,000.