Public consultations sought on the creation of Palawan 3rd legislative district

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, March 14 (PIA) -- A provincial board member pursued a resolution seeking a public consultation in Aborlan about the inclusion of the municipality in the proposed creation of a third legislative district for Palawan.

The resolution, sponsored by provincial board member Frederick F. Abueg, requests Palawan second district congressman Dennis M. Socrates, principal author of the proposed creation, to conduct an open and actual public hearing and consultations in Aborlan getting the true sentiments of the constituents.

“We need to hear the true sentiments of the constituents of Aborlan, not merely a meeting of party mates or a gathering of signatures, but an open and actual public consultation involving all sectors,” said Abueg.

The conduct of public consultations was one of the requisites of the Senate’s Committee on Local Government chaired by Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos. The committee met last week to discuss House Bill Number 5608, “An Act Reapportioning the Province of Palawan into Three Legislative Districts.”

In that Senate committee meeting, Abueg, provincial board member Rolando Bonoan Jr., Aborlan mayor Jaime Ortega and Aborlan councilor Pinoy Peneyra informed the joint committee chairpersons that there was no public consultation conducted regarding the inclusion of Aborlan in the third legislative district.

Under HBN 5608 which was approved by the House of Representatives early this year, there shall be a third congressional district in the province to be composed of Puerto Princesa City and Aborlan.

Abueg said, “We are not opposing the creation of a third legislative district, but what we are after is that we follow the procedures and that is basically through the process of public hearing.” (TBO/VSM-PIA4B Palawan)

By Victoria Asuncion S. Mendoza