Duterte signs law making General Santos City a separate legislative district

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the law creating a separate legislative district for General Santos City.

Under Republic Act 11243 signed by the President on March 11, the city shall compose the third legislative district of South Cotabato province.

General Santos is currently part of the first legislative district which also includes the towns of Polomolok, Tampakan and Tupi.

The second legislative district is comprised of Koronadal City and the towns of Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Santo Niño, Surallah, Tantangan and T’Boli.

According to the law, the incumbent congressmen of the present first and second legislative districts shall continue to represent the districts until the new representatives shall have been elected.

The Commission on Elections has 30 days from the law's effectivity to issue the implementing rules and regulations.

The new law was pushed by Senator Manny Pacquiao, a native of General Santos City, and South Cotabato first district Representative Pedro Acharon Jr.

Both lawmakers cited General Santos' growing population thus the need to ensure proper representation for its people in Congress.

According to the 2015 Census of Population and Housing, General Santos City has a total population of 594,000, with an average population growth rate of 1.91 percent from 2010 to 2015. —Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News