A year into the election season, a number of local government units (LGUs) across the country are expanding—creating new barangays, seeking independence from mother units, and lobbying for new congressional districts. These expansions, in turn, will pave the way for new local positions that politicians may seek.

Recently released data from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) showed that 13 new barangays were created, and a city was converted into a highly-urbanized city in the last quarter of 2008.

At the House of Representatives, there are bills seeking the creation of 18 new congressional districts in 15 provinces and cities. There are also bills seeking the creation of 4 more provinces, 7 municipalities, and 24 barangays.

Most, if not all, of these proposals were encouraged by the recently released 2007 census. Localities naturally saw increased populations, thus many of them finally met the minimum population requirement for the creation or expansion of political units.

Taguig’s Villages

Ten of the 13 newly-created barangays are in Taguig City in Metro Manila. Their creation was ratified on a plebiscite on Dec. 18, 2008, which brought the total number of barangays in Taguig to 28.

The new barangays of Taguig City are as follow: Central Bicutan, Fort Bonifacio, New Lower Bicutan, Pinagsama, San Miguel, South Daan Hari, North Daan Hari, North Signal Village, Katuparan, and South Signal Village.

Section 386 of the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991 states that for a barangay to be created in a city or municipality within Metro Manila and in highly urbanized cities, it should have a population of at least 5,000.

Taguig City Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga has said that the rapid increase in the city’s population is the reason behind the creation of the new barangays. As of August 2007, Taguig had 613,343 inhabitants, representing a 31-percent increase from 467,375 in 2000.

Some barangays in Taguig used to have a population greater than 50,000 before these 10 new barangays were created. Western Bicutan, for instance, used to have a population of 124,157 before it was divided into three barangays, while old Signal Village had a population of 107,906.

ARMM, Again

The three other new barangays are in Maguindanao. Barangays Datu Kilay and Datu Bakal in Shariff Aguak were created by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Act No. 236 and were ratified in a plebiscite on November 1. Barangay Kanguan in Datu Piang, meanwhile, was created by virtue of MMA No. 232 and was ratified in a plebiscite on December 6.

The creation of these villages once more reinforced the reputation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as the region that has created the most number of LGUs in recent years. In December 2005, the region was composed only of 5 provinces, 101 municipalities, and 2,461 barangays. Three years later, the region was composed of six provinces, two cities, 113 municipalities and 2,470 barangays.

Although the creation of new LGUs is governed by the provisions of the LGC, the Expanded ARMM Law gives the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA), the region’s lawmaking body, the power to set their own criteria in merging, dividing, abolishing, and creating new provinces, cities, municipalities or barangays. The Supreme Court, however, has declared unconstitutional the power of RLA to create provinces and cities when it voided the creation of Shariff Kabunsuan last year.

Local governance experts have criticized the creation of new LGUs in the ARMM because of their financial non-viability. Some justify the move, however, as a way to avoid rido or clan wars by giving each political family enclaves to govern.

Highly-Urbanized Tacloban

President Arroyo, meanwhile, converted a component city in Eastern Visayas into a highly-urbanized city (HUC). Presidential Proclamation No. 1637, signed on October 4, 2008, ordered the conversion of Tacloban City into an HUC. The proclamation was ratified through a plebiscite held last December 18.

Tacloban City, the first HUC in Eastern Visayas, used to be a component city of the province of Leyte. The upgraded status of Tacloban brings the total number of HUCs in the country to 32.

As a result of this conversion, Tacloban residents will not be voting for provincial positions in the next elections. It will also make Tacloban City virtually autonomous from the provincial government.

Section 452 of the Local Government Code of 1991 mandates that a city can be converted into an HUC if it has a minimum population of 200,000 and an annual income of at least P50 million. The LGC also says that the president has the power to declare the conversion of a city into an HUC.

National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) data show that as of December 2008, the Philippines had 17 regions, 81 provinces, 136 cities, 1,495 municipalities, and 42,008 barangays. (Newsbreak)

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