Legislative districts of the Philippines explained

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

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

See main article: Senatorial districts of the Philippines. From 1916 to 1935, the Philippines was divided into 12 senatorial districts. Each district except for the twelfth senatorial district elected two senators to the Senate. The senators from 12th senatorial district were appointed by the U.S. Governor-General. Since 1941, when the Senate was restored, all twenty-four senators have been elected at-large in intervals.

Senatorial DistrictProvinces and/or cities
First DistrictAbra (re-established 1917), Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela
Second DistrictLa Union, Pangasinan, Zambales
Third DistrictBulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac
Fourth DistrictManila, Bataan, Laguna, Rizal
Fifth DistrictBatangas, Cavite, Marinduque (established 1920), Mindoro, Tayabas
Sixth DistrictAlbay, Ambos Camarines (split into Norte and Sur 1917), Sorsogon
Seventh DistrictCapiz, Iloilo, Romblon (re-established 1917)
Eighth DistrictAntique, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Palawan
Ninth DistrictLeyte, Samar
Tenth DistrictCebu
Eleventh DistrictBohol, Misamis (split into Occidental and Oriental 1929), Surigao
Twelfth DistrictBaguio, 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

See main article: Congressional districts of the Philippines.

Province / CityDistrictsCongress of the Philippines
Abra1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Agusan del Norte and ButuanAgusan del Norte2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1111111
Agusan del Sur2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
AklanAklan2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1111 1
Albay3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 33333333
AntiqueAntique1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
ApayaoApayao1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
AuroraAurora1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
BacolodBacolod1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
BaguioBaguio1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Basilan1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Bataan3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2111111
BatanesBatanes1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Batangas6 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 43333333
BenguetBenguet1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 21
BiliranBiliran1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Bohol3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 33333333
Bukidnon4 4 44 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 31111111
7 55 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 422222222
Cagayan3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 32222222
Cagayan de OroCagayan de Oro2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Caloocan3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Camarines NorteCamarines Norte2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Camarines Sur and NagaCamarines Sur5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 42222222
CamiguinCamiguin1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Capiz222222222222222 2333
CatanduanesCatanduanes1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Cavite8 8 7 7 7 3 3 3 3 3 3 31111111
Cebu and MandaueCebu7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 67777777
Cebu CityCebu City2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Cotabato3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21111111
Davao CityDavao City3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 311111
Davao de OroDavao de Oro2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Davao del Norte2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 31 1
Davao del Sur1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21 1
Davao OccidentalDavao Occidental1 1 1
Davao Oriental2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21 1
Dinagat Islands1 1 1 1 1 1
Eastern Samar1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
General SantosGeneral Santos1
GuimarasGuimaras1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
IfugaoIfugao1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
IliganIligan1 1 1 1 1
Ilocos Norte2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22222222
Ilocos Sur2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22222222
Iloilo5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 55555555
Iloilo CityIloilo City1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Isabela and SantiagoIsabela6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 1111111
Kalinga1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
La Union2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22222222
Laguna, Biñan, Calamba, Santa Rosa7 6 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 42222222
Lanao del NorteLanao del Norte2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 211 11111
Lanao del Sur2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 211 1
Lapu-LapuLapu-Lapu1 1 1 1 1
Las PiñasLas Piñas1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
MuntinlupaMuntinlupa1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Leyte, Ormoc, and TaclobanLeyte5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 544 45555
Maguindanao and Cotabato CityMaguindanao2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
MakatiMakati2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
MalabonMalabon1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
NavotasNavotas1 1 1 1 1
MandaluyongMandaluyong1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
San JuanSan Juan1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
MandaueMandaue1
ManilaManila6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 44444 42
MarikinaMarikina2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
MarinduqueMarinduque1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Masbate3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 31111111
Misamis Occidental2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21111111
Misamis Oriental2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21111111
Mountain ProvinceMountain Province1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 333333
Negros Occidental6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 3333333
Negros Oriental3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2222222
Northern SamarNorthern Samar2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21 1
Nueva Ecija4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 42222222
Nueva VizcayaNueva Vizcaya1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Occidental MindoroOccidental Mindoro1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Oriental Mindoro2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2111111
Palawan and Puerto PrincesaPalawan3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21111111
Pampanga and Angeles CityPampanga4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 42222222
Pangasinan and DagupanPangasinan6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 65555555
ParañaqueParañaque2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
PasayPasay1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
PasigPasig1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Quezon and LucenaQuezon4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 42222222
Quezon CityQuezon City6 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
QuirinoQuirino1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Rizal, Antipolo6 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 22222222
RomblonRomblon1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111
Samar2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21 133333
SaranganiSarangani1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
SiquijorSiquijor1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Sorsogon2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22222222
South Cotabato2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 1 1
Southern Leyte2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1
Sultan Kudarat2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
SuluSulu2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21111111
Surigao del Norte2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 211 11111
Surigao del Sur2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 211 1
Taguig and PaterosTaguig and Pateros–Taguig2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Tarlac3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 32222222
Tawi-TawiTawi-Tawi1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
ValenzuelaValenzuela2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
Zambales and OlongapoZambales2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21111111
Zamboanga CityZamboanga City2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 111
Zamboanga del Norte3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 31111 1
Zamboanga del Sur2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 31111 1
Zamboanga SibugayZamboanga Sibugay2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1
Total (Philippines)253 243 238 235 230 219 212 209 208 203 200 20011010410410210210098

Local districts

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

Notes and References

  1. News: BARMM's new parliamentary districts won't affect representation in House, says BTA member. Panti . Llanesca. June 22, 2019. June 20, 2019.