Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate local government committee, today pushed for the division of Maguindanao into two provinces.
(Senate of the Philippine FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
This followed a hybrid public hearing on bills creating local government units (LGUs), including his Senate Bill (SB) 1824, seeking to divide Maguindanao into two provinces, namely: Northern Maguindanao and Southern Maguindanao.
Maguindanao has been endowed with rich and abundant natural resources which that other provinces would be right to envy.
Despite the existence of this vast potential, the province ironically remains one of the poorest provinces in the country.
Tolentino said that reforms must be done in order to remedy this situation as unlocking Maguindanao’s potential is not just vital to help the people living in the province but also in bringing down poverty in the entire country.
“In order to achieve this goal, one solution would be to focus on socio-economic development activities in the province and making sure that these programs actually reach (the) majority of the people,” he pointed out.
The lawmaker said that one way to ensure this is through the enactment of SB 1824 and splitting the province into two.
“With this new set-up, government officials of each new province would be able to more properly focus their efforts in assisting lesser constituents and lesser territorial jurisdiction. The government of each province will now be able to create projects and programs that would better address the intricacies and special needs of their respective jurisdictions,” Tolentino said.
Under the bill, the Province of Northern Maguindanao shall be composed of the following municipalities: (1) Barira; (2) Buldon; (3) Datu Blah Sinsuat; (4) Datu Odin Sinsuat; (5) Kabuntalan; (6) Matanog; (7) Northern Kabuntalan; (8) Parang; (9) North Upi; (10) Sultan Kudarat; (11) Sultan Mastura; and (12) Talitay.
The Province of Southern Maguindanao shall include the foillowing municipalities:(1) Ampatuan; (2) Buluan; (3) Datu Abdulah Sangki; (4) Datu Anggal Midtimbang; (5) Datu Hofier Ampatuan; (6) Datu Montawal; (7) Datu Paglas; (8) Datu Piang (9) Datu Salibo; (10) Datu Saudi Ampatuan; (11) Datu Unsay; (12) Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun; (13) Guindulungan; (14) Mamasapano; (15) Mangudadatu; (16) Pagalungan; (17) Paglat; (18) Pandag; (19) Rajah Buayan; (20) Sharif Aguak; (21) Sharif Saydona Mustafa; (22) Sultan sa Barongis; (23) Talayan; and (24) South Upi.
The hearing which was attended virtually by LGU officials, also discussed other bills seeking to redistrict certain areas, create and separate barangays, and declare local holidays in ten provinces.