Southern Leyte officials favor new congressional district
By ARIEIO ETTE MARIICIO The second district will be made up of Liloan, San FYancisco, Pintuyan, San TACLOBAN City - Top of{icials in Ricardo, Saint Bernard, Arnhawan, San Southern Lelte believe the crcation ofa Juan, Hinundayan, Hinunangan, and new legislative district in the province will Silago. help boost its growth. Earlie4 Vice Governor Chrisbopher- R€p. Roger Mercado said the province son Yap said having two congressional would benefrt from the formation of the districts would help them deliver efficient new district in terms of policy-maling and services to the people. appmval of development plans. ''It would be easier for us to lalow lhe "I am gratified to our President for needs of our people because we can hold approving this landmark legislation. ofEce in the two districts so they would Congress is a place wherc the voice of the no longer need to go to Maasin to reach people can be heard and expressed. This us," Yap said. means a lot to us bbcause ther€ will be two I Mercado added thal the new law sig- voices that will represent our province," nifies that the province has impmved its Mercado said. economy; its population has increased; . HeauthorcdHouseBill633l,whichwas and its land area is big enough to have signed by President Duterte as Republic h o districts. Act (Rl0 No. 11198, dividingthe lone district Based on the 2015 census, Southem of Southern Lelte into two districts. Leyte has a population of 421,750, almost Southern Le,'te was part of Leyte double the 250,000 requirement for the prOvince in the 1960s. s€ation ofa legislative district. Under the measure, the first district Meanwhile, Mercado said that the City elected representative in the May elec .will be composed of its capital Maasin Macrohon, PadrcBwgos, Limasawa, Mal' tionswillserveas the caretakerofthe two ' itbos sosod, rbmas oppus, and Bontoc. abte to erecft.wo *;H:::H*;:,'tr;re. ,t -b t AC;e o