MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--The Marawi City government appealed to Bangsamoro lawmakers to allocate an additional legislative district for the city in the proposed Parliamentary Districts Act of 2023.
City Councilor Abdani Alonto, during the Lanao del Sur leg of the public consultation on the proposed measure, presented the City Council's resolution urging the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to consider assigning two seats for Marawi City in the Bangsamoro Parliament.
Alonto emphasized the city's vast landscape comprising 98 barangays and a population exceeding 200,000, asserting the necessity for two district seats to ensure fair representation and foster efficient governance.
Echoing the same sentiment, City Mayor Majul Gandamra, in a position paper, articulated that "the Regional parliament is legislating not only for the current statuses but for the future, and it is more prudent to anticipate and legislate for the needs of tomorrows."
The mayor highlighted the city's anticipated population growth, projecting it to surpass the 2020 census. He underscored the impact of compensating Marawi siege victims and the city's robust development, which could attract significant migration, especially given its status as the commercial center of Lanao del Sur.
"As the population grows, so thus the corresponding needs for social and economic problems that need legislative action," Gandamra emphasized.
Prominent stakeholders from Lanao del Sur actively engaged in a public consultation session on January 18, 2024, at the Provincial Capitol Gymnasium in Marawi City. The gathering centered around the discussions on Parliament Bill No. 267, or the Parliamentary Districts Act of 2023. (Photo courtesy of Bangsamoro Transition Authority)
The Bangsamoro Electoral Code specifies that the 2025 parliament will comprise 80 members, including 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives.
BTA Bill No. 267 aims to delineate the composition of the 32 parliamentary districts across provinces, cities, municipalities, and the distinct geographic areas in the region.
The proposed bill allocates eight parliamentary districts to Lanao del Sur, the highest among all provinces in the BARMM.
Three of the proposed districts in the province will have five municipalities each; four will have six municipalities each, and one for Marawi City.
Meanwhile, Bangsamoro lawmakers committed to thorough and thoughtful deliberation on the issues and concerns raised during public consultations. They vowed a meticulous review of all position papers and recommendations that would refine the proposed measure. (APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)
