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TEAM unity senatorial candidates Mike Defensor and Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday stated that the division of Zamboanga will lessen the city's development, thus defending Mayor Celso Lobregat in his stance to oppose the move to divide Zamboanga and create a province out of it. "People are now congregating municipalities to become a city, so why will you go backward?" Zubiri, incumbent Bukidnon congressional representative said in a press conference yesterday morning.
Zubiri said local residents should protect Zamboanga City as it is, not only because of its historical value but because it would lessen development funds for the people of Zamboanga. "I believe it makes no sense to divide Zambaonga City because we're tying to push for the internal revenue allotment," Zubiri said. "Right now you IRA is intact; if you divide Zamboanga City you will lessen development funds for the people of Zamboanga." The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP-ZAMBASULTA) chapter has proposed the division of Zamboanga through the creation of the Zamboanga Hermosa Province. Zubiri however said it is different from the situation in Bukidnon, which remains to be the only undivided province of Mindanao. The province has 8,400 square meters with a very large populantion. "Zamboanga City is not like Bukidnon and it should remain intact." Defensor on the other hand said Zamboanga is one of the cities in the country and that the residents should push for its further development instead dividing it. The former Environment and Natural Resources secretary cited the case of Quezon City which is also being proposed to be divided into two. "We int he 3rd district in Quezon City opposed it because we want to maintain the territorial integrity of the city and we also want to maintain the historical significance of the city as it was established in the past." "Dividing Zamboanga is retrogression; it is not for progress and people pushing for this are the minority that want more positions and so it is gerrymandering, that is - all for political ambitions of certain people". Defensor and Zubiri along with the other Team Unity senatorial candidates barnstormed Zamboanga yesterday morning. The team Unity met the press over breakfast and later had a motorcade around the city together with the members of the Lobregat-Led Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), which was earlier officially proclaimed as official bets of the administraiton-backed team in Zamboanga. (AB)
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