THE initiative of brothers, Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco and Mayor John Rey Tiangco will soon be completely realized following the recent approval by the Senate for the creation of four additional barangays, bringing the total number of villages to 18.
The Tiangco brothers were visibly-jubilant as they both confirmed that the three bills, authored and sponsored by Sen. Sonny Angara, Chair of the Senate’s committee on local government, were already approved on final reading.
“We’ve been pushing for this development and we’re glad that the Senate has already given its nod and certainly our Navotas constituents will largely benefit from this,” says Mayor Tiangco.
According to Senator Angara, the first bill will divide Barangay North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS) into three barangays to be known as Barangay NBBS Proper, Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran and Barangay NBBS Dagat-Dagatan. The current barangay has a population of more than 67,000.
On one hand, the second bill will divide Barangay Tangos into two to be known as Barangay Tangos North and Barangay Tangos South. It has a current population of 33,000.
Thirdly, Barangay Tanza, which has a population of 26,000, will be divided into Barangay Tanza 1 and Barangay Tanza 2.
“We are doing this to provide local governments the power and funds they need to efficiently serve their constituents,” the senator was quoted as saying.
For his part, Rep. Tiangco, who held the city’s top post for more than a decade until he was succeeded by his brother who is already on his third and last term, says that he actually filed the bills during the 16th Congress but came quite late, hence, he re-filed it in the current 17th Congress.
The same bills were first passed and approved before the Lower Chamber through his representation.
“OK na sa House since local bills won’t be tackled in the Senate if not approved by members of the House of Representatives,” Rep. Toby explains.
They cited a Supreme Court decision penned in 2004 stating the role of the barangay “as a basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, projects and activities in the community.”
As conceptualized in the Local Government Code, the barangay is positioned to influence and direct the development of the entire country, they said. GOOD RIDDANCE/ARLIE CALALO
