Law dividing Palawan into 3 provinces signed

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has signed a law dividing Palawan into three provinces. 

Under Republic Act 11259 signed on April 5, which Malacañang released yesterday, Palawan will be divided into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur.

Palawan del Norte will be composed of Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Lanapacan, Taytay and El Nido while Roxas, Aracel, Dumaran, Cuyo, Agutaya, Magsaysay, Cayancillio and San Vicente will comprise Palawan Oriental.

Aborian, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Española, Bataraza, Balabac and Kalayaan will comprise Palawan del Sur, which shall be the ”mother province.”

Under the law, Taytay will be the capital of Palawan del Norte.

 Roxas will be the capital of Palawan Oriental and Brooke’s Point of Palawan del Sur.

Each province will elect their governor, vice governor and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The three new provinces will be created once the law is ratified in a plebiscite to be held in the affected areas on the second Monday of May in 2020.

Puerto Princesa, the current capital of the province, shall have its own legislative district, but its residents are not qualified to vote in the plebiscite as well as in the elections for provincial government officials.

Residents of the city had opposed the measure, which was authored by Palawan Reps. Franz Alvarez, Frederic Abueg and Gil Acosta.

 Sen. Sonny Angara sponsored the measure at the Senate.

Critics said gerrymandering would mean additional expenses for taxpayers.

The incumbent lawmakers shall continue to represent their legislative districts until the election of the new representatives in May 2022.