TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE — Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla and 41 mayors are strongly opposing a bill that proposes to split the province into two, citing concerns over its economic impact.
Governor Petilla expressed his skepticism, stating, “I don’t see any valid reason why Leyte should be split into two provinces other than for political reasons.”
He elaborated on the potential drawbacks of the division, arguing that larger provinces can better manage resources, characterizing the split as regressive rather than developmental.
Emphasizing unity, the governor urged local leaders to concentrate on enhancing governance and resource management for Leyte.
During their quarterly meeting on December 14, members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines—Leyte Chapter affirmed their opposition by passing a manifesto against House Bill No. 11077.
Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla, who led the meeting, stated, “We have come up with a manifesto strongly opposing this plan to divide Leyte,” highlighting the unity among mayors against the proposal.
She added, “The reason for the division is totally uncalled for. We love Leyte, and Leyte is the most developed province in the region.”
The bill, filed by Rep. Richard Gomez, seeks to create a new province called Western Leyte, which would encompass areas where Cebuano is predominantly spoken.
The proposed Western Leyte would include Gomez's district towns, along with Ormoc City where his wife serves as mayor.
The municipalities included in the proposal cover an area of 2,852.16 square kilometers with a population of over 958,400, according to the 2020 census.
Gomez contends that the division is necessary due to linguistic differences and the need for increased accessibility to medical services, arguing it would enhance governance and expedite economic development.
He stated, “The creation of the province of Western Leyte is expected to further boost the socioeconomic growth of the western side of Leyte.”
The proposed measure is currently under consideration by the House committee on local government.
Among the 42 mayors in Leyte, only Kananga Mayor Manuel Vicente Torres is anticipated to support the bill.
Governor Petilla recalled previous failed attempts to divide Leyte, which lacked public support, noting that “even residents of these areas don’t want Leyte to be divided.”
He expressed confidence that Gomez’s proposal would meet a similar fate as prior attempts.
With an area of 6,313.33 square kilometers and a population exceeding 1.77 million, Leyte stands as the 13th largest province in the Philippines.
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