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Legislative districts of Surigao del Norte

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The Legislative districts of Surigao del Norte are the representations of the province of Surigao del Norte in the various national legislatures of the Philippines. The province is currently represented in the lower house of the Congress of the Philippines through its first and second districts.

Contents

Dinagat Islands last formed part of the province's representation in 2007.

History

Prior to gaining separate representation, areas now under the jurisdiction of Surigao del Norte were represented under the former province of Surigao (1907–1961). The enactment of Republic Act No. 2786 on 19 June 1960 split the old province into Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, and provided the new provinces separate representations in Congress. The new province of Surigao del Norte first elected its own representative in the 1961 elections.

Surigao del Norte was represented in the Interim Batasang Pambansa as part of Region X from 1978 to 1984, and returned one representative to the Regular Batasang Pambansa in 1984. The province was reapportioned into two congressional districts under the new Constitution which was proclaimed on 11 February 1987, and elected members to the restored House of Representatives starting that same year.

The passage of Republic Act No. 9355 and its subsequent ratification by plebiscite in December 2006 separated the seven municipalities comprising the newly created province of Dinagat Islands from Surigao del Norte's first district beginning in the 2007 elections. Despite Dinagat Islands being nullified as a province by the Supreme Court of the Philippines on 11 February 2010 the decision was not yet rendered final and executory before the 10 May 2010 elections; therefore the Commission on Elections still organized separate elections for the Dinagat Islands' congressional representative and provincial officials. The representatives of the reconfigured first district of Surigao del Norte and the lone district of Dinagat Islands continued to represent their own constituencies even after the Supreme Court rendered its original decision final and executory on 18 May 2010.

After the Supreme Court reversed its ruling on 12 April 2011, and subsequently upheld the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 9355 and the creation of Dinagat Islands as a province with finality through an Entry of Judgment on 24 October 2012, the separation of Dinagat Islands from Surigao del Norte's first district became permanent.

1st District

  • Municipalities: Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, Santa Monica, Socorro
  • Population (2010): 109,204
  • 1987–2007

  • Municipalities: Basilisa, Burgos, Cagdianao, Dapa, Del Carmen, Dinagat, Libjo, Loreto, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, San Jose, Santa Monica, Socorro, Tubajon
  • 2nd District

  • City: Surigao City
  • Municipality: Alegria, Bacuag, Claver, Gigaquit, Mainit, Malimono, Placer, San Francisco, Sison, Tagana-an, Tubod
  • Population (2010): 333,564
  • Lone District (defunct)

  • includes what is now Dinagat Islands
  • At-Large (defunct)

  • includes what is now Dinagat Islands
  • References

    Legislative districts of Surigao del Norte Wikipedia