Gov. Petilla: “Leyte, just about the right size to handle”

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
July 11, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla said that Leyte province is just about the right size for a provincial government to handle and to manage.

This the governor said in reaction to speculations that with the reelection of Leyte Fifth District Congresswoman Carmen Cari, the lady solon may revive her old bill pushing for the creation of a West Leyte province which would be comprised of the municipalities under Leyte’s Fifth District.

“The province of Leyte I think is about right. May-ada kita lima ka distrito pero it third and fourth districts are actually small. In fact the fourth district is only composed of six municipalities excluding the City of Ormoc. So, we’re just actually looking at a four district province rather than a five-district province which I think is just about right,” Gov. Petilla said.

The fourth district is comprised of Palompon, Isabel, Kananga, Albuera, Merida and Matag-ob and the chartered city of Ormoc.

Gov. Petilla added they cannot prevent anybody who would want to stand on its own as a separate province but then he said all these will go through a democratic process, taking into foremost consideration the will of the people.

“They can always demand for it but everything is called by a referendum. Ngatanan man is through a referendum. Kon dumiri ka, kon dumiri it kadamuan, diri gihapon ito mahinayon,” Gov. Petilla said.

He said that pushing to separate from the mother province also depends “really on who is pushing for it.”

“There would always be demand for everything. Kay waray pa ngani hira ka-city nag-demand na hira. It doesn’t mean though that it would be readily approved. It also depends really on who is pushing it,” Gov. Petilla added.

It can be recalled that in February 2005, during the 13th Congress, Rep. Cari together with her sister then Leyte First District Congresswoman Remedios “Matin” Petilla co-authored House Bill 03764 that proposes the creation of the Province of Western Leyte.

It would be composed of the municipalities of Abuyog, Javier, Hilongos, Hindang, Bato, Inopacan, Mahaplag, Matalom and the new city of Baybay.