Del Mar, Rama to pursue additional districts for Cebu City in Congress

North District Congressman-elect Rachel “Cutie” Del Mar (left photo) and South District Congressman-elect Eduardo Rama, Jr. | file photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The new representatives of Cebu City’s North and South Districts are looking into adding additional districts for the city.

In a media forum on June 7, 2022, South District Congressman-elect Eduardo Rama, Jr., said that this plan was one of the platforms that his party, Barug-PDP Laban, presented to the public during the elections and he intends to bring it to realization.

“We have been discussing, not just our party, but also the opposition on the need to add more districts in the City of Cebu. Para nako, hinog na nga dungagan og distrikto ang syudad sa Sugbo…additional districts, more projects,” said Rama.

He added that the city has fulfilled the requirement for the formation of new districts such as the population count.

In previous interviews, Partido Barug’s leader, reelected Mayor Michael Rama, said he wants the city to have at least an additional two districts or even three to have a total of five districts.

More districts would mean more funds being allotted to each district from the national government, thereby, paving way for more projects in terms of infrastructure, social services, health, and education for the barangays under the new districts.

Congressman-elect Rama said that this is possible and it will be one of his priorities in Congress when he takes a seat in July.

North District Congressman-elect Rachel “Cutie” Del Mar said that she is willing to support the proposal as well.

“We can look into it because another district means more funding,” said Del Mar.

The two district representatives, though coming from different parties with Del Mar being from Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), promised to work together in Congress for the development of the city.

As long-time family friends, Del Mar and Rama said they have never treated each other as enemies and can easily work together to file bills and conduct legislative actions needed to improve the city.

For Del Mar, she plans to file 16 bills with a few of these bills written by the late Congressman Raul Del Mar, her father.

Her focus would be on health such as the city’s existing program that takes care of the residents from womb to tomb comprising of hospital assistance, free vitamins and medicine, and even burial assistance.

Del Mar also plans to push for education assistance especially for students so they will be provided with tablets and school supplies upon the return of the face-to-face classes.

She also wants telecommunication companies to provide better service to the mountain barangays so students in hybrid learning will be able to access the Internet.

Rama, on the other hand, will also focus on health, education, livelihood and also agriculture. He said he wants more farm-to-market roads opened in the mountain barangays to help the farmers bring to their crops to urban centers.

He wants additional medical facilities in the city including more dialysis centers so that those who need them can have access to dialysis for free.

Both representatives want to increase the wage of teachers from P11,000 to P14,000 as well as increase the wage of nurses to combat the shortage of workforce especially in private hospitals.

/bmjo

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