Bill dividing Maguindanao into 2 provinces approved by Senate committee

On Monday, the Senate committee on local government approved on first reading a bill which seeks to divide Maguindanao into two provinces to help the area “better” manage its resources.

Photo credit: philstar.com

Under House Bill No. 6413, Northern Maguindanao will have 12 municipalities, while 24 municipalities will be part of Southern Maguindanao.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Local Government said that they want to finalize and to crystalize the long-promised bill.

If passed into law, the 36 towns currently of Maguindanao will be divided as follows:

NORTHERN MAGUINDANAO

Datu Odin Sinsuat (*proposed capital)
Datu Blah Sinsuat
Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Mastura
Upi
Kabuntalan Mother
Northern Kabuntalan
Parang
Buldon
Matanog
Barira
Datu Sumagka (formerly Talitay)

SOUTHERN MAGUINDANAO

Ampatuan
Buluan (*proposed capital)
Datu Paglas
Datu Piang
Pagalungan
Shariff Aguak
South Upi
Sultan sa Barongis
Talayan
General S. K. Pendatun
Mamasapano
Datu Montawal (Pagagawan)
Paglat
Guindulungan
Datu Saudi-Ampatuan
Datu Unsay
Datu Abdullah Sangki
Rajah Buayan
Pandag
Mangudadatu
Datu Anggal Midtimbang (Talayan)
Datu Hoffer Ampatuan
Datu Salibo
Shariff Saydona Mustapha

The proposed seats of government in the two provinces shall be in Datu Odin Sinsuat and Buluan, respectively.

Not all splitting is harmful... Politically-motivated gerrymandering would worsen rent-seeking and wastage of public resources whereas economically-motivated gerrymandering would lead to improved provision of public services,

said Maguindanao Representative Esmael Mangudadatu, one of the principal authors of the bill in the lower house.

Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu also expressed support for the division of the province during the Senate hearing, as she stressed that this would pave the way for issue-based governance.

This move will further improve the ongoing transition phase of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,

she said.

According to Tolentino, the minor details will be threshed out in a technical working group. He was referring to several debatable provisions in the bill, including the transfer of Southern Maguindanao's provincial capitol to Buluan town from Shariff Aguak. Shariff Aguak remains to be the nearest to the center of the province.

However, Maguindanao Rep. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu rejected the proposal of the governor, saying the area is too close to strongholds of armed groups.