Ex-guv sees two Aklan districts in 2010

Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre
Kalibo, Aklan- Ex vice governor Atty. Ronquillo Tolentino sees the Aklan province divided in two districts in the coming 2010 Presidential and local elections.

Tolentino said, results of the current national census being undertaken by the National Statistics Office (NSO) would qualify Aklan to be divided into two districts. If this happens, there will be two representatives to be elected in the province of Aklan.

"The law only requires one district to have 250,000 population. If the NSO could justify that Aklan currently has 500,000 population it means that the province is qualified to have a two district," he said.

Already, the 12 Sanguniang Panlalawigan of Akan is being divided into two districts the Eastern and the Western as certified by the Commission on Election. The Aklan River which runs across the middle of the province serves as the boundary for the east and the west.

"I see no negative implications in Aklan having two districts. Congressional funds allocated in the province will be doubled which will translate into more development projects and farm to market roads," Tolentino said.

Tolentino said, he is confident that the continous migration of people both in Boracay and Kalibo would definitely reach the 500,000 population mark needed to divide the province into two districts.

"In 2004, the NSO certified that the province have reached 480,000 population. Three years after, I believed that we have surpassed the needed figure for better economic life of Aklan," he said.

In terms of politics, having two districts would ease the already tense political scenario in the province of Aklan.