The evolution of Cebu's 7 congressional districts

And so, the lines are drawn.  The first, sixth and seventh district congressional seats are uncontested. But in the second, Tata Salvador will give Edsel Galeos a run for his money. Pablo John Garcia will clinch his reelection bid, with two unpopular challengers. The fourth will be a close fight but the incumbent, Janice Salimbangun has a slight edge. I think that Duke Frasco will still win but with a very slim margin. The Sitoy scions are divided giving the bet from Consolacion the edge in the new district with less than 200,000 voters. The wife of Mayor Ahong Chan will win in Lapu Lapu. Cutie del Mar will clinch Cebu City north and Tomas Osmeña will fight for his life against Edu Rama in the south.

Did you know that in the fifties, sixties and early seventies, there were no districts for Cebu City and the whole city, together with Mandaue and Lapulapu used to be components of the old second district, then controlled by the Osmenas ? Danao, together with neighboring towns were parts of the first district with Ramon Durano as kingpin, while Talisay all the way to Carcar were parts of the third district , with Maximino Noel and later Ernesto Bascon as leader.

Cebu's original first district, dominated by the Rodrigueses and later by the Duranos, was composed of Bogo, Borbon, Carmen, Danao, Pilar, San Francisco, Tabogon, Tudela, Poro and Sogod. The second district, the Osmeña's turf, included Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapulapu, Liloan, Compostela, Consolacion, and Cordova. The third district, dominated by Carcar's Minion Noel included Talisay, Minglanilla, Naga, San Fernando and Carcar. The fourth, called SAAD, included Sibonga, Argao, Alcoy and Dalaguete and was under the domination of the Kintanars of Argao, the last of whom was Isidro Kintanar.

The fifth district was the Cuenco fiefdom, and included Alegria,Alcantara, Badian, Boljoon, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Moalboal, Oslob and Samboan. The sixth dominated by Maning Zosa of Barili comprised Ronda, Dumanjug, Barili, Pinamungajan and Toledo. The seventh of Tereso Dumon, included Balamban, Asturia, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Tuburan, Tabuelan, San Remegio, Madridejos and Sta Fe. The 1973 ConCon changed the configuration into what it is today with some modifications later. Today's first district is exactly the old third district, from Talisay to Carcar, except that Sibonga was taken from the old fourth and added to it.

 The second district, as originally configured by then ConCon delegate Hilario Davide, Jr, was the entire old fourth district less Sibonga plus the whole of the old fifth, from Boljoon to Alcantara and two towns of the old sixth district, namely Ronda and Dumanjug. But later, it was split into ADABOSS or Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon Oslob, Santander and Samboan, as the second, and now the seventh district, DRAMMBAG or Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Badian, Alegria and Ginatilan as the seventh. The third district now comprises Barili, Aloguinsan, Pinamungajan, Toledo City, Balamban, Asturias and Tuburan.

The fourth district, was practically the old seventh district and is now composed of Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, San Remegio, Santa Fe, Tabugon and Tabuelan.  The fifth district now was the fisrt district before with few changes, and now comprises Borbon, Carmen, Catmon, Compostela, Liloan, Pilar, Poro, San Francisco, Sogod and Tudela. The sixth used to include Mandaue, Consolacion and Cordova. But with Mandaue declared as a stand-alone city, Consolacion and Cordova will become the smallest district in the province.

If we really think about all these, they are products of the politicians' capricious gerrymandering to suit their own interests and designs. The people couldn't care less. They have more basic problems to worry about.