The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper
Parliament assures intensive deliberations on proposed districting bill
SULU - Bangsamoro Parliament’s Floor Leader and Minister of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-alba said that Parliament Bill No. 267 is not final, reassuring that lawmakers will continue deliberating on its provisions to ensure that it reflects the needs of the Bangsamoro people.
Atty. Dumama-alba said that there is a possibility that the proposed measure will be revised in the final version because we will take into account the needs and situation of the people. "Kasama sa proseso ang public consultation upang kunin ang pulso ng bayan,” she stated, highlighting the importance of public input in the legislative process.
Addressing confusion about PB No. 267, Floor Leader Dumama-alba clarified to stakeholders the fundamental differences between legislative congressional districts and parliamentary districts.
She explained that the congressional district system, outlined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, mandates that each city with a population of 250,000 or each province must have at least one representative. Each legislative district should also comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory.
These elected officials serve in the national government's 250-member House of Representatives. While parliamentary districts, as proposed in PB No. 267, must be apportioned based on both population and geographical area, with a minimum population of 100,000 under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Representatives from these districts will serve in the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament following the 2025 regular parliament elections. She also assured the public of an extensive information campaign on the electoral process, including details about the design of the ballots for the 2025 election.
During public consultations, stakeholders were presented with the bill's content, including a breakdown of districts per province for better understanding.
Governor Sakur Tan, along with other local leaders and stakeholders, pushed for a more simplified election procedure for the 80-member Parliament in order to increase Bangsamoro participation. He asked the Parliament to enhance accessibility and broaden involvement, emphasizing that facilitating participation starts with making it easy for the Bangsamoro people.
The governor also emphasized the need for the Bangsamoro government to address Sulu's concerns, urging frequent visits and consultations with the province.
Kerkhar Tan, mayor of Sulu’s capital municipality, proposes to have a lone district for Jolo. The proposed arrangement, he added, is to maximize the capacity of the leader representing them.
He emphasized that the current setup of the Bangsamoro government provides an opportunity to enhance the structure and provide improved representation.
Other stakeholders have also raised the need for further information dissemination campaigns among all the stakeholders in the upcoming electoral process.
Parliament Bill No. 267, introduced on December 7, seeks to establish 32 single-member parliamentary districts across the entire Bangsamoro region. The bill specifies how districts will be distributed among provinces, ensuring that the Bangsamoro Organic Law's population and geographical requirements are met.
According to the bill, the provinces of Basilan will have three districts: Sulu with seven, Tawi-tawi with three, Lanao del Sur with eight, Maguindanao del Norte with four, Maguindanao del Sur with four, Cotabato City with two, and Special Geographic Area with one.
Under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), each parliamentary district must meet the 100,000 minimum population requirement. The municipalities composing the district must be contiguous, compact, and adjacent to each other.
Former Congressman
Munir Arbison, representing Sulu's second district, urged the Parliament to sustain its dialogue with constituents, emphasizing the direct impact of the bill on the Bangsamoro communities.
Nurshamier Halun, mayor of Kalingalan Caluang, said that the establishment of parliamentary districts will allow local leaders to focus on meeting the needs and problems of their respective communities.
According to the BOL, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the interim government of the BARMM government, is granted the authority to determine the allocation of the parliamentary district seats for the first parliamentary election.
To ensure equitable representation in Parliament, stakeholders from various municipalities have recommended additional seats and modifications to the district arrangement since they are far from the seat of government.
According to the 2020 census by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Sulu is home to 1,000,108 residents spread across 19 municipalities and 410 barangays.
The proposed seven districts for Sulu are outlined as follows: Jolo (capital), Hadji Panglima Tahil (Marunggas), and Pangutaran constitute the first; Indanan and Parang are the second; Maimbung and Talipao are the third; Old Panamao and Patikul are the fourth; Pata, Tapul, Panglima Estino (New Panamao), and Lugus are the fifth; Kalingalan Caluang, Luuk, Omar, and Tongkil are the sixth; and Siasi and Pandami are the seventh.
Once enacted, PB No. 267 will create seven districts in Sulu, securing the province's position as the second-highest contributor of apportioned parliamentary district seats in the BARMM. (LTAIS-PUBLIC Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)