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Legislative districts of the Philippines

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The legislative districts of the Philippines are the divisions of the Philippines' provinces and cities for representation in the various legislative bodies. Congressional districts are for House of Representatives, while there are districts for Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and some Sangguniang Panlungsod. For purposes of representation, the Senate, most Sangguniang Panlungsod, Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan are all elected at-large, although there were districts for the Senate from 1916 to 1935.

The first composition of legislative districts was enshrined in the Ordinance appended to the Constitution. Changes in the composition of legislative districts were later added as new provinces and cities were created, and the composition was modified through laws enacted by Congress.

Apportionment on local legislatures is also possible.

History

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Representation to the legislature traces its origin to the Spanish era, when the Philippines was granted very limited representation to the Spanish Cortes. During the American period, when the Philippine Bill of 1902 was enacted, the first Philippine Assembly was established as the lower house and the then-existing Philippine Commission as the upper house. Representation in the assembly was apportioned among the provinces with respect to their population, provided that no province shall have less than one member.

In 1916, the Philippine Legislature was reconstituted with a Senate as the upper house and the Assembly retained as the lower house. The Senate elected members through Senatorial Districts, a grouping of provinces and areas of the country, while the Assembly retained its way of representation. During the Commonwealth period, the Philippine Legislature was abolished, and a unicameral National Assembly was established, with representation being like that of the Philippine Assembly, each province having at least one member depending on its population.

With the passage of the 1940 Amendments to the 1935 Constitution, a bicameral Congress was established with a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House of Representatives way of representation was like that of the Philippine Assembly, while the Senate's members were elected at large.

With the coming of the Interim Batasang Pambansa and the regular Batasan during the Marcos regime, representation was done in many ways: most members were elected by regions, some by appointment from the different sectors of the society such as youth and labor, and some were members of the Cabinet appointed by the President. However, with the advent of the 1987 Constitution, the Batasan was scrapped and the Congress was restored. The present way of electing delegates to the House of Representatives is through legislative districts apportioned among the provinces, cities and the Metropolitan Manila Area and through a party-list system of registered national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations.

Senatorial districts

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From 1916 to 1935, the Philippines was divided into 12 senatorial districts. Each district, except the 12th senatorial district, elected two senators to the Senate of the Philippines. The senators representing the twelfth senatorial district were appointed by the governor-general. Since 1941, when the Senate was restored, all 24 senators have been elected at large.

Senatorial district Provinces and/or cities
First District Abra (re-established in 1917), Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela
Second District La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales
Third District Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac
Fourth District Manila, Bataan, Laguna, Rizal
Fifth District Batangas, Cavite, Marinduque (established in 1920), Mindoro, Tayabas
Sixth District Albay, Ambos Camarines (split into Norte and Sur in 1917), Sorsogon
Seventh District Capiz, Iloilo, Romblon (re-established in 1917)
Eighth District Antique, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Palawan
Ninth District Leyte, Samar
Tenth District Cebu
Eleventh District Bohol, Misamis (split into Occidental and Oriental in 1929), Surigao
Twelfth District Baguio, Department of Mindanao and Sulu (abolished in 1920, consisted of the provinces of Agusan, Bukidnon, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga), Mountain Province (consisted of the sub-provinces of Apayao, Benguet, Bontoc, Ifugao, and Kalinga), Nueva Vizcaya

Congressional districts

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Number of districts per province and some cities in the 18th Congress of the Philippines.

  Increased representation;   Decreased representation

Province / City Districts Congress of the Philippines
20th 2025–2028 19th 2022–2025 18th 2019–2022 17th 2016–2019 16th 2013–2016 15th 2010–2013 14th 2007–2010 13th 2004–2007 12th 2001–2004 11th 1998–2001 10th 1995–1998 9th 1992–1995 8th 1987–1992 7th 1970–1972 6th 1966–1969 5th 1962–1965 4th 1958–1961 3rd 1954–1957 2nd 1950–1953 1st 1946–1949
Abra Abra 11111111111111111111
Agusan del Norte (with Cabadbaran) Agusan del Norte 12222222222221 111111
Agusan del Sur (with Bayugan) Agusan del Sur 22222211111111
Aklan Aklan 22211111111111111 (see Capiz)
Albay (with Legazpi, Ligao and Tabaco) Albay 33333333333333333333
Antique Antique 11111111111111111111
Apayao Apayao 1111111111(see Kalinga) (see Mountain Province)
Aurora Aurora 1111111111111 (see Quezon)
Bacolod Bacolod 1111111111111 (see Negros Occidental)
Baguio Baguio 11111111111(see Benguet) (see Mountain Province)
Basilan (with Isabela and Lamitan) Basilan 1111111111111 (see Zamboanga del Sur)
Bataan (with Balanga) Bataan 33222222222222111111
Batanes Batanes 11111111111111111111
Batangas (with Batangas City, Santo Tomas, Lipa, and Tanauan) Batangas 66664444444443333333
Benguet Benguet 11111111111221 (see Mountain Province)
Biliran Biliran 11111111111 (see Leyte)
Bohol (with Tagbilaran) Bohol 33333333333333333333
Bukidnon (with Malaybalay and Valencia) Bukidnon 44444333333331111111
Bulacan (with Malolos, Meycauayan and San Jose del Monte) Bulacan, San Jose del Monte 77555555444422222222
Butuan Butuan 1 (see Agusan del Norte)
Cagayan (with Tuguegarao) Cagayan 33333333333332222222
Cagayan de Oro Cagayan de Oro 2222222111111 (see Misamis Oriental)
Caloocan Caloocan 3322222222222 (see Rizal)
Camarines Norte Camarines Norte 22222211111111111111
Camarines Sur (with Iriga) and Naga Camarines Sur 55555544444442222222
Camiguin Camiguin 11111111111111 (see Misamis Oriental)
Capiz (with Roxas) Capiz 22222222222222222333
Catanduanes Catanduanes 11111111111111111111
Cavite (with Bacoor, Cavite City, Dasmariñas, General Trias, Imus, Tagaytay, and Trece Martires) Cavite 88877733333331111111
Cebu (with Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Naga, Talisay, and Toledo) and Mandaue Cebu 77776666666667777777
Cebu City Cebu City 2222222222222 (see Cebu)
Cotabato (with Kidapawan) Cotabato 3333322222222 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Davao City Davao City 3333333333333 (see Davao del Sur) 1 1 1 1 1
Davao de Oro Davao de Oro 2222222222(see Davao del Norte)
Davao del Norte (with Panabo, Samal, and Tagum) Davao del Norte 2222222222333 11
Davao del Sur (with Digos) Davao del Sur 1111222222222 11
Davao Occidental Davao Occidental 1111(see Davao del Sur)
Davao Oriental (with Mati) Davao Oriental 2222222222222 11
Dinagat Islands Dinagat Islands 1111111(see Surigao del Norte) (see Surigao)
Eastern Samar (with Borongan) Eastern Samar 111111111111111 (see Samar)
General Santos General Santos 11(see South Cotabato)(see Cotabato)
Guimaras Guimaras 11111111111(see Iloilo)
Ifugao Ifugao 1111111111111 (see Mountain Province)
Iligan Iligan 111111(see Lanao del Norte)
Ilocos Norte (with Laoag and Batac) Ilocos Norte 2222222222222 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Ilocos Sur (with Candon and Vigan) Ilocos Sur 2222222222222 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Iloilo (with Passi) Iloilo 5555555555555 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Iloilo City Iloilo City 1111111111111 (see Iloilo)
Isabela (with Cauayan and Ilagan) and Santiago Isabela 66644444444441 1 1 1 1 1 1
Kalinga (with Tabuk) Kalinga 1111111111111 (see Mountain Province)
La Union (with San Fernando) La Union 2222222222222 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Laguna (with Biñan, Cabuyao, Calamba, San Pablo, San Pedro, and Santa Rosa) Laguna, Biñan, Calamba, Santa Rosa 7765444444444 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Lanao del Norte Lanao del Norte 2222222222222 1 11 1 1 1 1
Lanao del Sur (with Marawi) Lanao del Sur 2222222222222 1 11
Lapu-Lapu Lapu-Lapu 111111(see Cebu)
Las Piñas Las Piñas 1111111111111 (see Rizal)
Muntinlupa Muntinlupa 1111111111
Leyte (with Baybay), Ormoc, and Tacloban Leyte 5555555555555 4 44 5 5 5 5
Maguindanao del Norte and Cotabato City Maguindanao del Norte 1122222222222 (see Cotabato)
Maguindanao del Sur Maguindanao del Sur 11
Makati Makati 2222222222111 (see Rizal)
Malabon Malabon 1111111111111
Navotas Navotas 111111
Mandaluyong Mandaluyong 1111111111111
San Juan San Juan 11111111111
Mandaue Mandaue 11(see Cebu)
Manila Manila 66666666666664 4 4 4 44 2
Marikina Marikina 2222222111111 (see Rizal)
Marinduque Marinduque 1111111111111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Masbate (with Masbate City) Masbate 3333333333333 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Misamis Occidental (with Oroquieta, Ozamiz, and Tangub) Misamis Occidental 2222222222222 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Misamis Oriental (with El Salvador and Gingoog) Misamis Oriental 2222222222222 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Mountain Province Mountain Province 111111111111113 3 3 3 3 3
Negros Occidental (with Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, La Carlota, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, Sipalay, Talisay, and Victorias) Negros Occidental 66666666666663 3 3 3 3 3 3
Negros Oriental (with Bais, Bayawan, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, and Tanjay) Negros Oriental 33333333333332 2 2 2 2 2 2
Northern SamarNorthern Samar 2222222222222 11 (see Samar)
Nueva Ecija (with Cabanatuan, Gapan, Muñoz, Palayan and San Jose) Nueva Ecija 4444444444444 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Nueva VizcayaNueva Vizcaya 1111111111111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Occidental MindoroOccidental Mindoro 1111111111111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Oriental Mindoro (with Calapan) Oriental Mindoro 2222222222222 1 1 1 1 1 1
Palawan and Puerto PrincesaPalawan 3333322222222 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Pampanga (with Mabalacat and San Fernando) and Angeles City Pampanga 4444444444444 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Pangasinan (with Alaminos, San Carlos, and Urdaneta) and Dagupan Pangasinan 6666666666666 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Parañaque Parañaque 2222222211111 (see Rizal)
Pasay Pasay 1111111111111
Pasig Pasig 1111111111111
Quezon and Lucena Quezon 4444444444444 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Quezon City Quezon City 6666644444444 (see Rizal)
Quirino Quirino 1111111111111 (see Nueva Vizcaya)
Rizal (with Antipolo) Rizal, Antipolo 6644444433222 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Romblon Romblon 1111111111111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Samar (with Calbayog and Catbalogan) Samar 2222222222222 11 3 3 3 3 3
Sarangani Sarangani 11111111111(see South Cotabato) (see Cotabato)
Siquijor Siquijor 1111111111111 (see Negros Oriental)
Sorsogon (with Sorsogon City) Sorsogon 2222222222222 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
South Cotabato (with Koronadal) South Cotabato 322222222223311 (see Cotabato)
Southern Leyte (with Maasin) Southern Leyte 2211111111111 11 (see Leyte)
Sultan Kudarat (with Tacurong) Sultan Kudarat 2222222111111 (see Cotabato)
Sulu Sulu 2222222222222 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Surigao del Norte (with Surigao City) Surigao del Norte 2222222222222 1 11 1 1 1 1
Surigao del Sur (with Bislig and Tandag) Surigao del Sur 2222222222222 1 11
Taguig and Pateros Taguig and Pateros–Taguig 2222222111111 (see Rizal)
Tarlac (with Tarlac City) Tarlac 3333333333333 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Tawi-Tawi Tawi-Tawi 1111111111111 (see Sulu)
Valenzuela Valenzuela 2222222221111 (see Bulacan)
Zambales and Olongapo Zambales 2222222222222 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Zamboanga City Zamboanga City 2222222111111 (see Zamboanga del Sur) 1 1
Zamboanga del Norte (with Dapitan and Dipolog) Zamboanga del Norte 3333333333333 1 1 1 11
Zamboanga del Sur (with Pagadian) Zamboanga del Sur 2222222223333 1 1 1 11
Zamboanga Sibugay Zamboanga Sibugay 222222211(see Zamboanga del Sur)
Total (Philippines) 254253243238235230219212209208203200200 110 104 104 102 102 100 98

Local districts

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As per the Bangsamoro Organic Law, representation in the Bangsamoro Parliament is based from its own parliamentary districts which is distinct from the congressional districts used to determine representation in the national House of Representatives.[1] However the current composition of the parliament is interim in nature and all members are appointed by the President with no regard to the current districts established in February 2024.

Representation via provincial boards, known as Sangguniang Panlalawigan are also via congressional districts except for a few instances, such as Bulacan's 4th provincial board district includes San Jose del Monte, while its congressional district does not. The province's income determines how many seats it is entitled to, with 6 seats being the least. If a province only has one congressional district, the Commission on Elections then divides the province into two districts based on population and geography.

If a city is split into several congressional districts, representation via its city councils, known as Sangguniang Panlungsod, follows the districts as set by the congressional districts; otherwise, representation is via an at-large district.

At-large representation is also used in municipalities through their Sangguniang Bayan (except in Pateros, where it is split into two districts), and in barangays through their Sangguniang Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan. At-large representation is always via plurality-at-large voting

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Panti, Llanesca (June 20, 2019). "BARMM's new parliamentary districts won't affect representation in House, says BTA member". Retrieved June 22, 2019.