Creation of Northwestern Samar gains support from Matuginao town

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
March 26, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  The creation of Northwestern Samar gains support from Matuginao town as the Sangguniang Bayan filed a resolution supporting the move.

In an interview with Mayor Carlos dela Cruz on Tuesday in the Matuginao Town Hall, PIA learned that Matuginao has been sorely missing the basic service support from the provincial government.

Matuginao is located some 21 kilometers from Gandara town through an impassable provincial road; it can also be reached through a 3-hour motorboat ride through the Gandara River.

Based on record, the Matuginao Sangguniang Bayan passed Resolution number 2008-636 dated January 28, 2008, which strongly supports in turn Calbayog City’s Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 2008-02-030 requesting Hon. Reynaldo Uy, First District Representative, to file a bill creating the new province.

In response to the clamor, Congressman Uy has filed House Bill 3553 before the congress of the Philippines on February 12, 2008.

The same House Bill has prompted the Calbayog City SP to seek audience with Samar Sangguniang Panlalawigan for a Power Point presentation to advance their cause.

Aside from HB 3553, Calbayog City SP also brandished its own Resolution Number 2008-02-030 of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Calbayog adopted on January 14, 2008 requesting the Honorable Congressman Reynaldo Uy (1st district of Samar) to file a bill creating a new province of Northwestern Samar.

The Matuginao chief executive reasoned that the present set up of governance does not seem to reach his impoverished Matuginao.

He added that with the creation of a new province which comprises of only nine municipalities of the first district and one city, the area would be very manageable with fiscal and political autonomy.

Meanwhile in an earlier interview with San Jorge Mayor Nancy Grey, the lady mayor seemed not so keen on the idea of belonging to a new province, like Mayor dela Cruz’s Matuginao, Grey’s San Jorge also belong to the first district of Samar.