Cayetano bats for EMBOs' voting rights in 2025 local elections
September 23, 2024
Cayetano bats for EMBOs' voting rights in 2025 local elections
For Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, the residents of the 10 Enlisted Men's Barrio (EMBO) barangays that are now part of the City of Taguig should be given the right to vote for their congressional representative in the upcoming 2025 local elections.
To address this, he introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 23 on Monday which calls for the EMBO residents to exercise their voting rights and gain representation in Congress as part of a legislative district.
"All residents of Taguig have the right to equal representation and those qualified have the fundamental right to exercise their right to suffrage," Cayetano said in the concurrent resolution dated September 23, 2024.
The resolution aims to address the issue faced by the EMBO barangays, which collectively comprise an additional 336,873 residents in the City of Taguig, of not being included in the current legislative districts of the City of Taguig and the Municipality of Pateros.
This situation has raised uncertainties about the EMBO residents' voting rights and representation. Concerns have emerged regarding their ability to vote for a congressional representative and if they will be categorized under the Taguig-Pateros First District or Taguig's Second District, jeopardizing their constitutional rights.
"Ang sabi ng Comelec (Commission on Elections), walang problema, makakaboto kayo sa council, mayor, vice mayor, pero hindi kayo makakaboto sa congressman. Doon lumitaw ang problema," Cayetano explained during a barangay and city-level officials meeting two weeks ago.
As a possible solution to the problem, the senator filed this concurrent resolution in support of Taguig City Ordinance No. 144, which aims to include and distribute the 10 EMBO barangays in the existing two legislative districts and increase the number of councilors per district from eight to twelve.
A concurrent resolution requires passage by both legislative houses without needing the President's signature.
Its counterpart in the House of Representatives, House Concurrent Resolution No. 37, with comparable provisions in the Senate version, was filed on September 18 by Taguig-Pateros Representative Ricardo 'Ading' Cruz Jr.
Under this resolution, the first district will encompass Comembo, Pembo, and Rizal, while the second district will include Cembo, South Cembo, East Rembo, West Rembo, Pitogo, Post Proper Northside, and Post Proper Southside.
Cayetano emphasized the importance of ensuring that EMBO residents can exercise their voting rights and have a voice in government decisions.
As the filing of candidacies for the 2025 elections begins on October 1, 2024, the senator also urged all Taguigeños to actively participate in shaping the future of their city.
"Let's make sure of three things: one, that every single Taguigeño can buy into a vision for Taguig; second, that people can vote; and third, that people can run [for office]," he said.
Cayetano gustong makaboto ang mga residente ng EMBO sa 2025 local elections
Para kay Senador Alan Peter Cayetano, dapat bigyan ang mga residente ng sampung Enlisted Men's Barrio (EMBO) barangay na bahagi na ngayon ng Lungsod ng Taguig ng karapatang bumoto para sa kanilang congressional representative sa 2025 local elections.
Upang matugunan ito, ipinanukala niya ang Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 23 noong Lunes na nananawagan sa mga residente ng EMBO na gamitin ang kanilang mga karapatan sa pagboto at makakuha ng representasyon sa Kongreso bilang bahagi ng isang legislative district.
"All residents of Taguig have the right to equal representation and those qualified have the fundamental right to exercise their right to suffrage," sulat ni Cayetano sa resolution na kanyang inihain nitong September 23, 2024.
Nilalayon ng resolusyon na tugunan ang isyung kinakaharap ng mga barangay ng EMBO - na sama-samang binubuo ng karagdagang 336,873 residente sa Lungsod ng Taguig - dahil kasalukuyang hindi sila kasama sa anumang legislative district sa Lungsod ng Taguig at Munisipalidad ng Pateros.
Ang sitwasyong ito ay nagdulot ng kawalan ng katiyakan tungkol sa mga karapatan at representasyon ng mga residente ng EMBO sa pagboto. Lumitaw ang mga alalahanin hinggil sa kanilang kakayahang bumoto para sa isang kinatawan ng Kongreso at kung sila ay ikategorya sa ilalim ng unang distrito ng Taguig-Pateros o ikalawang distrito ng Taguig.
"Ang sabi ng Comelec (Commission on Elections), walang problema, makakaboto kayo sa council, mayor, vice mayor, pero hindi kayo makakaboto sa congressman. Doon lumitaw ang problema," paliwanag ni Cayetano sa isang pagpupulong kasama ang mga barangay at opisyal ng lungsod noong nakaraang dalawang linggo.
Bilang posibleng solusyon sa problema, inihain ng senador ang resolusyong ito bilang suporta sa Taguig City Ordinance No. 144, na naglalayong isama ang 10 EMBO barangays sa kasalukuyang dalawang distrito at itaas sa 12 ang bilang ng mga konsehal mula sa walo.
Bilang concurrent resolution, hindi kinakailangan ang pirma ng Pangulo. Kinakailangan lang itong maipasa sa Kongreso at Senado.
Ang katapat nitong panukala sa House of Representatives na House Concurrent Resolution No. 37 ay inihain noong Setyembre 18 ni Taguig-Pateros Representative Ricardo 'Ading' Cruz Jr.
Sa ilalim ng resolusyong ito, iminumungkahi na sasakupin ng unang distrito ang Comembo, Pembo, at Rizal, habang ang Cembo, South Cembo, East Rembo, West Rembo, Pitogo, Post Proper Northside, at Post Proper Southside ay sa ikalawang distrito naman.
Binigyang diin ni Cayetano ang kahalagahan ng pagtiyak na magagamit ng mga residente ng EMBO ang kanilang mga karapatan sa pagboto at magkaroon ng boses sa mga desisyon ng gobyerno.
Sa pagsisimula ng paghain ng mga kandidato para sa 2025 elections sa October 1, 2024, hinimok din ng senador ang lahat ng Taguigeño na aktibong lumahok sa paghubog ng kinabukasan ng kanilang lungsod.
"Let's make sure of three things: one, that every single Taguigeño can buy into a vision for Taguig; second, that people can vote; and third, that people can run [for office]," aniya.
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