Legislative districts of the Philippines

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 edit

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 edit

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 District Provinces and/or cities
First District Abra (re-established 1917), Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela
Second District La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales
Third District Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac
Fourth District Manila, Bataan, Laguna, Rizal
Fifth District Batangas, Cavite, Marinduque (established 1920), Mindoro, Tayabas
Sixth District Albay, Ambos Camarines (split into Norte and Sur 1917), Sorsogon
Seventh District Capiz, Iloilo, Romblon (re-established 1917)
Eighth District Antique, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Palawan
Ninth District Leyte, Samar
Tenth District Cebu
Eleventh District Bohol, Misamis (split into Occidental and Oriental 1929), Surigao
Twelfth District Baguio, 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 edit

 
Number of districts per province and some cities in the 18th Congress of the Philippines.

  Increased representation;   Decreased representation

Province / City Districts Congress of the Philippines
19th 2022–2025 18th 2019–2022 17th 2016–2019 16th 2013–2016 15th 2010–2013 14th 2007–2010 13th 2004–2007 12th 2001–2004 11th 1998–2001 10th 1995–1998 9th 1992–1995 8th 1987–1992 7th 1970–1972 6th 1966–1969 5th 1962–1965 4th 1958–1961 3rd 1954–1957 2nd 1950–1953 1st 1946–1949
Abra Abra 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Agusan del Norte (with Cabadbaran) and Butuan Agusan del Norte 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Agusan del Sur (with Bayugan) Agusan del Sur 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Aklan Aklan 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Capiz)
Albay (with Legazpi, Ligao and Tabaco) Albay 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Antique Antique 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Apayao Apayao 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Kalinga) (see Mountain Province)
Aurora Aurora 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Quezon)
Bacolod Bacolod 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Negros Occidental)
Baguio Baguio 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Benguet) (see Mountain Province)
Basilan (with Isabela and Lamitan) Basilan 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Zamboanga del Sur)
Bataan (with Balanga) Bataan 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Batanes Batanes 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Batangas (with Batangas City, Santo Tomas, Lipa, and Tanauan) Batangas 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Benguet Benguet 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 (see Mountain Province)
Biliran Biliran 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Leyte)
Bohol (with Tagbilaran) Bohol 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Bukidnon (with Malaybalay and Valencia) Bukidnon 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Bulacan (with Malolos, Meycauayan and San Jose del Monte) Bulacan, San Jose del Monte 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Cagayan (with Tuguegarao) Cagayan 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Cagayan de Oro Cagayan de Oro 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Misamis Oriental)
Caloocan Caloocan 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 (see Rizal)
Camarines Norte Camarines Norte 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Camarines Sur (with Iriga) and Naga Camarines Sur 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Camiguin Camiguin 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Misamis Oriental)
Capiz (with Roxas) Capiz 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3
Catanduanes Catanduanes 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Cavite (with Bacoor, Cavite City, Dasmariñas, General Trias, Imus, Tagaytay, and Trece Martires) Cavite 8 8 7 7 7 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Cebu (with Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Naga, Talisay, and Toledo) and Mandaue Cebu 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
Cebu City Cebu City 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 (see Cebu)
Cotabato (with Kidapawan) Cotabato 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Davao City Davao City 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (see Davao del Sur) 1 1 1 1 1
Davao de Oro Davao de Oro 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 (see Davao del Norte)
Davao del Norte (with Panabo, Samal, and Tagum) Davao del Norte 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 1 1
Davao del Sur (with Digos) Davao del Sur 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1
Davao Occidental Davao Occidental 1 1 1 (see Davao del Sur)
Davao Oriental (with Mati) Davao Oriental 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1
Dinagat Islands Dinagat Islands 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Surigao del Norte) (see Surigao)
Eastern Samar (with Borongan) Eastern Samar 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Samar)
General Santos General Santos 1 (see South Cotabato) (see Cotabato)
Guimaras Guimaras 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Iloilo)
Ifugao Ifugao 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Mountain Province)
Iligan Iligan 1 1 1 1 1 (see Lanao del Norte)
Ilocos Norte (with Laoag and Batac) Ilocos Norte 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Ilocos Sur (with Candon and Vigan) Ilocos Sur 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Iloilo (with Passi) Iloilo 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Iloilo City Iloilo City 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Iloilo)
Isabela (with Cauayan and Ilagan) and Santiago Isabela 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Kalinga (with Tabuk) Kalinga 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Mountain Province)
La Union (with San Fernando) La Union 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Laguna (with Biñan, Cabuyao, Calamba, San Pablo, San Pedro, and Santa Rosa) Laguna, Biñan, Calamba, Santa Rosa 7 6 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Lanao del Norte Lanao del Norte 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Lanao del Sur (with Marawi) Lanao del Sur 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
Lapu-Lapu Lapu-Lapu 1 1 1 1 1 (see Cebu)
Las Piñas Las Piñas 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Rizal)
Muntinlupa Muntinlupa 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Leyte (with Baybay), Ormoc, and Tacloban Leyte 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 5 5 5 5
Maguindanao and Cotabato City Maguindanao 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 (see Cotabato)
Makati Makati 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 (see Rizal)
Malabon Malabon 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Navotas Navotas 1 1 1 1 1
Mandaluyong Mandaluyong 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
San Juan San Juan 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Mandaue Mandaue 1 (see Cebu)
Manila Manila 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 2
Marikina Marikina 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Rizal)
Marinduque Marinduque 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Masbate (with Masbate City) Masbate 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Misamis Occidental (with Oroquieta, Ozamiz, and Tangub) Misamis Occidental 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Misamis Oriental (with El Salvador and Gingoog) Misamis Oriental 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Mountain Province Mountain Province 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3
Negros Occidental (with Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, La Carlota, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, Sipalay, Talisay, and Victorias) Negros Occidental 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Negros Oriental (with Bais, Bayawan, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, and Tanjay) Negros Oriental 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Northern Samar Northern Samar 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 (see Samar)
Nueva Ecija (with Cabanatuan, Gapan, Muñoz, Palayan and San Jose) Nueva Ecija 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Nueva Vizcaya Nueva Vizcaya 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Occidental Mindoro Occidental Mindoro 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Oriental Mindoro (with Calapan) Oriental Mindoro 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Palawan and Puerto Princesa Palawan 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Pampanga (with Mabalacat and San Fernando) and Angeles City Pampanga 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Pangasinan (with Alaminos, San Carlos, and Urdaneta) and Dagupan Pangasinan 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Parañaque Parañaque 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 (see Rizal)
Pasay Pasay 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Pasig Pasig 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Quezon and Lucena Quezon 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Quezon City Quezon City 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 (see Rizal)
Quirino Quirino 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Nueva Vizcaya)
Rizal (with Antipolo) Rizal, Antipolo 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Romblon Romblon 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Samar (with Calbayog and Catbalogan) Samar 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 3 3
Sarangani Sarangani 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see South Cotabato) (see Cotabato)
Siquijor Siquijor 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Negros Oriental)
Sorsogon (with Sorsogon City) Sorsogon 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
South Cotabato (with Koronadal) South Cotabato 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 1 1 (see Cotabato)
Southern Leyte (with Maasin) Southern Leyte 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Leyte)
Sultan Kudarat (with Tacurong) Sultan Kudarat 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Cotabato)
Sulu Sulu 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Surigao del Norte (with Surigao City) Surigao del Norte 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Surigao del Sur (with Bislig and Tandag) Surigao del Sur 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
Taguig and Pateros Taguig and Pateros–Taguig 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Rizal)
Tarlac (with Tarlac City) Tarlac 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Tawi-Tawi Tawi-Tawi 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Sulu)
Valenzuela Valenzuela 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 (see Bulacan)
Zambales and Olongapo Zambales 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Zamboanga City Zamboanga City 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 (see Zamboanga del Sur) 1 1
Zamboanga del Norte (with Dapitan and Dipolog) Zamboanga del Norte 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1
Zamboanga del Sur (with Pagadian) Zamboanga del Sur 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1
Zamboanga Sibugay Zamboanga Sibugay 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 (see Zamboanga del Sur)
Total (Philippines) 253 243 238 235 230 219 212 209 208 203 200 200 110 104 104 102 102 100 98

Local districts edit

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 edit

References edit

  1. ^ Panti, Llanesca (June 20, 2019). "BARMM's new parliamentary districts won't affect representation in House, says BTA member". Retrieved June 22, 2019.