With the creation of 2 congressional districts
TACLOBAN CITY-For the first time of its history, voters of Southern Leyte province will be electing two congressional representatives.
The election of two congressmen is by virtue of Republic Act 11198 reapportioning the lone congressional district of the province into first and second congressional districts.
The law, approved on February 19,2019, was sponsored by Rep. Roger Mercado (Lakas-CMD) who is seeking for a fresh term for the province’s first congressional district.
The first congressional district, which has a voting population of 132,114 as of the 2019 elections, covers the provincial capital of Maasin City and the towns of Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Limasawa, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, and Bontoc.
Mercado will be slugging it out for the post against two other candidates.
The towns of Sogod, Libagon, Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, San Ricardo, Saint Bernard, Anahawan, San Juan, Hinundayan, Hinunangan, and Silago comprises the newly-created second congressional district which has more than 160,200 registered voters as of 2019 balloting.
Incumbent Vice Gov. Christopher Yap (PDP-Laban), a political ally of Rep. Mercado, is among those running for congressman in the district.
Four others have filed their certificates of candidacy for the same post.
Earlier, Rep. Mercado explained that having two congressional representatives of Southern Leyte would mean more fundings from the national government and Congress.
The solon’s brother, Damian, is seeking for another term as governor of the province with his son, Naccional, is running for his third term as mayor of Maasin City.
The Mercados have long held the political power in Southern Leyte.
