ILAGAN City, Isabela—A popular rumor that this “Queen Province of the North” will be split into two territories to be governed by its prominent political families has been bolstered by a bill filed in the 17th Congress on Dec. 14 last year.
Six members of the House of Representatives, including the four incumbent congressmen of Isabela, have authored House Bill 4962 that would reapportion the province’s current four legislative districts into six divisions.
The bill was co-authored by Rep. Rodolfo T. Albano III (District I), Rep. Ana Cristina S. Go (District II), Rep. Napoleon S. Dy (District III), Rep. Maria Lourdes Aggabao (District IV), and party-list representatives Jose T. Panganiban of ANAC-IP and Arnel U. Ty of LPGMA.
“The historical alliance between the two local political clans, the Dys and the Albanos, needs a breathing space, as siblings and the younger generation are itching to get elected,” a political observer here, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Manila Standard.
“Looking at the bigger picture, the Dys need a province of their own in the same way the Albanos do, and that is forthcoming,” the observer added.
The lawmakers reasoned in HB 4962 that Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution allows the creation of a new legislative district for every 250,000 population of a city or area. With Isabela’s population of over 1.59 million, this means the province—the country’s second largest in terms of land area—can have two more congressional representatives.
The Dy-Albano tandem unseated popular Bombo Radyo broadcaster-turned-politician Grace Padaca, Isabela’s governor from 2004 to 2010.
Padaca, a former stalwart of the Liberal Party who ran as an independent in 2016, was beaten by present Isabela Gov. Faustino G. Dy III by more than 300,000 votes.
“The numbers show how powerful the Dy-Albano alliance has become, but now that Padaca is history, they will need to reapportion the territory rather that fight each other in future elections,” the Standard source added.
In the 2016 elections in Cauayan City, which belongs to the third district, incumbent mayor Bernard Faustino Dy defeated his own uncle, Victor, by almost 10,000 votes.
“The Cauayan City experience has taught rising political aspirants there is a way to defeat the Dys in their own turf,” said Mike Isidro, a native of Cauayan.
Politicians gunning for a House seat under the proposed redistricting scheme started to visit towns and barangays “not in their usual turfs.”
“Barangay elections is in the offing, and they need to plant their allies,” the Manila Standard source said.
The bill has been pending with the Committee on Local Government since Jan. 16.