Home 
CEBU CITY, Philippines - Members of a group pushing for the creation of a new barangay (village) out of sitios (districts) Banawa and Englis in Barangay Banawa, Cebu City, is setting a target date of March 2009 for the holding of a plebiscite that would make the proposal a reality.
The United Banawa-Englis Association Inc. (UBEAI), which supports the bill pending in Congress for the creation of the new barangay, said the proposal should not be marred by ?black propaganda? from officials who oppose the move due to political reasons.
Ultimately, the decision for the split should be up to the people ? especially those living in sitios Banawa and Englis ? as determined through a plebiscite, said Antonio Dangcalan, president of the 15-year-old UBEAI.
UBEAI was created in 1993 by various Banawa and Englis residents when the idea to split Cebu City?s largest barangay was first raised.
A city ordinance was passed in January 1997 authorizing the split. However, several factors were blamed for the failure of its implementation, including opposition from certain politicians.
Now, UBEAI is looking for hope in House Bill 5234 entitled ?An Act Creating Barangay Banawa Englis in the City of Cebu,? filed by Representative Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district) in the House of Representatives.
The bill is pending in the House?s committee on local government. It was subject to first reading on October 3.
Considering the smooth going of Cuenco?s bill, UBEAI hoped that a plebiscite would follow soon, with an election for Barangay Banawa-Englis? first set of officials not far behind.
Cuenco has assured UBEAI that both chambers of Congress would approve the bill before they have a recess, Dangcalan said.
The UBEAI president said the group has lost hope in the city ordinance creating Barangay Banawa-Englis.
?(The split) was not even imaginable a decade ago when the ordinance was passed. It never materialized, I don't know why. We felt like a ball being passed around,? Dangcalan said. ?We?re thankful that to the congressman who always stood by our side. Now, our hope for barangay Banawa-Englis is brighter.?
Acting Mayor Michael Rama said the city had always been sincere in implementing the ordinance.
However, some problems, such as delineation of boundaries, have yet to be addressed, Rama said.
?There were problems that were not agreed by the many,? Rama said.
Rama said Cuenco?s bill would force the issues to be addressed.
The acting mayor also said he hoped that Cuenco?s bill was motivated by ?real advocacy? instead of politics.
Cuenco has had a running conflict with Guadalupe barangay Captain Eugenio Faelnar.
According to Cuenco?s bill, if sitios Banawa and Englis become a single barangay, it will be divided into 57 sitios and have a total voting population of around 10,800.
UBEAI hoped that officials of Barangay Guadalupe would give sitios Banawa and Englis ?their freedom of choice? to create a new barangay.
Dangcalan said the split would allow better delivery of basic services to residents.
