The document outlines the proposal to divide the province of Camarines Sur into two provinces - Camarines Sur and Nueva Camarines. It argues that the proposal meets all legal requirements under the local government code and that dividing the large province will make governance more effective by bringing services closer to residents and improving management across smaller areas. The document also responds to some objections raised about dividing the province.

1. AN ACT CREATING THE
PROVINCE OF NUEVA
CAMARINES
1

2. PRINCIPAL AUTHORS OF HB 4820
THE CONGRESSMEN OF THE 1ST, 2ND,3RD AND 4TH
DISTRICTS OF CAMARINES SUR, NAMELY:
1. CONG. ARNULFO FUENTEBELLA (4TH Dist.)
2. CONG. LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE (3rd Dist.)
3. CONG. DATO ARROYO (2nd Dist.)
4. CONG. ROLANDO ANDAYA JR. (1stDist.)
House Bill 4820 passed in the House of
Representatives in Congress by a vote of 229 in favor
and only one (1) opposed.
2

3. HB NO. 4820 SUPPORTED BY
MANIFESTO OF:
1. 24 MAYORS
2. 24 VICE MAYORS
3. MAJORITY OF COUNCILORS
4. MAJORITY OF BARANGAY
CAPTAINS
5. MAJORITY OF KABATAAN
CHAIRMEN
3

4. STATUS OF BILL
FILED ON - MAY 21, 2011
APPROVED ON 2ND READING BY - JUNE 7, 2011
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APPROVED ON 3RD READING BY - AUGUST 3, 2011
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FORWARDED TO SENATE ON - AUGUST 10, 2011
4

5. Camarines Sur (Remaining LGUs)
DISTRICT 1 - Cabusao, Del Gallego, Lupi, Sipocot,Ragay
DISTRICT 2 - Gainza, Libmanan, Milaor, Minalabac,
Pamplona, Pasacao , San Fernando.
DISTRICT 3 - Camaligan, Bombon, Canaman,
Calabanga, Magarao, Ocampo, Pili,
Naga City.
5

6. NB* Naga City remains a component
of the province of Camarines Sur but
prohibited by its own charter from
voting for provincial elective
positions. This is the reason why
Naga City is classified as
Independent Component City.
6
THE PROPOSED TERRITORIAL DIVISION OR PARTITION

7. Nueva Camarines
DISTRICT 4 - Caramoan, Garchitorena, Goa,
Lagonoy,Presentacion, San Jose,
Sagnay, Siruma, Tigaon , Tinambac.
DISTRICT 5 - Balatan, Bula, Baao, Bato, Buhi,
Nabua, Iriga City.
NB* Iriga City is a component city of the new
province and not independent, because its voters
can run for provincial officials and its voters
entitled to vote thereat.
7
THE PROPOSED TERRITORIAL DIVISION OR PARTITION

8. Article X, Section 10, The 1987 Philippine
Constitution –
No province x x x may be x x x DIVIDED x x x or its
boundary substantially altered, EXCEPT in
accordance with the CRITERIA established in the
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE and subject to approval
by a majority of the votes cast in a PLEBISCITE in the
political units DIRECTLY AFFECTED.
8

9. 1. INCOME REQUIREMENT
2. POPULATION REQUIREMENT
OR
3. LAND AREA REQUIREMENT
9

10. 1. As prescribed by law, there should be an
average annual income (in two [2] preceding
fiscal years) of NOT LESS THAN P20 million
based on 1991 constant prices (Section 461,
LGC). PROVIDED THAT, THE INCOME
CLASSIFICATION OF THE ORIGINAL LOCAL
GOVERNMENT UNIT SHALL NOT FALL BELOW
ITS CURRENT INCOME CLASSIFICATION PRIOR
TO SUCH DIVISION. (Section 8, LGC)
10

11. CAMSUR is currently classified as FIRST
CLASS, because it has an income classification of
not less than P450 million.
Upon its division, BOTH the remaining
Camarines Sur and the Province of Nueva
Camarines will have an income classification of
FIRST CLASS (at least P450 million income
annually as determined by the DOF).
Hence, the income classification
requirement is complied with.
11
APPLICATION OF INCOME REQUIREMENT

12. 2. As computed by the Department of Finance, the
average annual income of NUEVA CAMARINES is
P223,412,665.03 million or ELEVEN TIMES MORE
THAN THE MINIMUM P20 million criterion. If P20
million minimum benchmark is adjusted upwards
to the current CPI (Consumer Price Index) value
as of 2010, the income compliance is still 362.7%
because the P223,412,665.03 million average
annual regular income based on 1991 constant
prices is as of 2010 valued at P689,675,196.63,
according to the Bureau of Local Government
Finance of the Department of Finance.
12
APPLICATION OF INCOME REQUIREMENT

13. There should be a population of not less
than 250,000 inhabitants as certified by the
National Statistics Office (NSO).
The population census as of 2007 of the
Province of Camarines Sur is 1,693,821
(inclusive of Naga City) or P1,533,296
(exclusive of Naga City).
13

14. As proposed to be divided, the population of
the remaining Province of Camarines Sur and the
Nueva Camarines will be:
Camarines Sur – 892,203 (inclusive of Naga City)
- 731,678 (exclusive of Naga City)
Nueva Camarines - 801,618
It should be emphasized that Nueva
Camarines will comply with the population
requirement equivalent to 3.2 times more than
the minimum 250,000 population or 320%
compliance rate.
14
APPLICATION OF POPULATION REQUIREMENT

15. It should have at least 2,000 square
kilometers as certified by the Land
Management Bureau (LBM) of Department
of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR).
The undivided Camarines Sur has a
total land area of 5,502 square kilometers.
15

16. As proposed to be divided, the respective
resulting land areas are:
Camarines Sur - 2,531.60 sq. km.
(inclusive of Naga City)
- 2,447.78 sq. km.
(exclusive of Naga City)
Nueva Camarines - 2,933.00 sq. km.
APPLICATION OF LAND AREA REQUIREMENT 16

17. It is beyond dispute and even the
oppositors to the division of the province
agree that the proposed division of
Camarines Sur has met the legal
requirements.
And the legal requirements met are
more than the minimum requirements. 17

18. But compliance notwithstanding, the
oppositors have still raised this question:
IS MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS A VALID
REASON TO DIVIDE CAMARINES SUR INTO
TWO (2) PROVINCES?
18

19. 19

20. 20

21. In questioning the COLLECTIVE
WISDOM OF CONGRESS that the income,
population, and land area requirements are
not enough to extend validity to the
proposal to create a new Province of Nueva
Camarines, the House of Representatives in
Congress rebuffed and resoundingly rejected
the objectors by a vote of 229 in favor and
only one (1) opposed.
21

22. If we have to follow the rule of law, if we have
to follow the Constitution, anyone who believes that
the criteria, or the requisites for creating a new
province or for dividing a province are NOT ENOUGH,
OR are wrong, they, the oppositors should not insult
Congress for passing the Local Government Code as
mandated by the Constitution, but should work for
the amendments of the criteria as provided in the
Local Government Code.
This is a lesson in political maturity that the
oppositors must learn.
22

23. It should be repeatedly emphasized,
that compliance of the legal requirements
by the proposed division of Camarines Sur
by the creation of Nueva Camarines is
much much more than the minimum
requirements:
- It is eleven times more than the minimum
income requirement.
- It is more than three (3) times the
minimum population requirement.
23

24. - It is more than 900 square kilometers
(or more than 90,00 hectares) of land
area than the minimum land area
requirement of 2,000 square
kilometers for a new province (Nueva
Camarines).
24

25. As divided, the remaining
Province of Camarines Sur and the
new Province of Nueva Camarines
will respectively be still larger in
land area than Albay, Sorsogon,
Catanduanes and Camarines Norte.
25

26. Dividing the present Camarines Sur into two
(2) provinces do not make the two (2) provinces
SMALL.
Separately, and as divided, Camarines Sur and
Nueva Camarines will still be larger in land area than
TWENTY-TWO (22) other provinces in the Philippines
and larger in population than FIFTY (50) other
Provinces of the Philippines.
Income classification-wise, the two (2)
provinces (as divided) will each maintain a FIRST
CLASS status, according to the criteria of the
Department of Finance (at least P450 million annual
income, but in reality more than this).
26

27. APART FROM CONSTITUTIONAL & STATUTORY
JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THE DIVISIONS OF CAMARINES
SUR, THERE ARE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES,
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND ORGANIZATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS THAT JUSTIFY THE
PARTITION OF CAMARINES SUR INTO TWO(2)
PROVINCES.
a. Bring government closer to the people and
deliver government services in a more effective
and responsive manner.
b. Refocus on a well balanced development plan
according to priority imperatives.
27

28. c. There are diseconomies of scale (the
reverse of economies of scale) that occurs
by the sheer size of the land areas to be
developed or governed and the sheer costs
of too many people to be attended to
begin to offset that bigness brings. Bigness
brings with it inefficiencies,
unresponsiveness and the rigidities of
bureaucracy.
28

29. d. The negative consequences of “bigness” have
been well documented. Foremost is the difficulty
of establishing accountability. There are just too
many people involved in delivering public
services. Residents are at a loss on who is doing
what and how redress can be sought when
public service is badly delivered. Blurred
responsibilities are compounded by the lack of
indicators with which performance can be
measured. The absence of accountability induces
under-performance, abuse of powers, and
inefficiencies, and corruption.
29

30. f. To established a more accountable dynamic and
responsive organizational structure and operating
mechanism for a more effective allocation of
resources.
g. To encourage more active participation of the
private sector in local governance as an alternative
strategy for sustainable development.
h.The reduction of the land area of responsibility and
the number of people as constituents are consistent
with the management principle of effective span of
attention and control. It is easier to manage,
monitor, and evaluate results of the delivery of
services. 30

31. i. Since the present Camarines Sur is 85% dependent on
Internal Revenue allotment (IRA) which are mainly based
on land area and population there results in unequal and
unjust allocation of funds to its component local
government units because IRA obtained from the formula
of land area and population when concentrated into one
province only are not necessarily spent fairly and
equitably throughout all the constituents of the
province. The division of Camarines Sur ensures that the
internal revenue allotment that pertain to Nueva
Camarines will be spent there in the same manner that
the allocation of what remains in the mother province
will exclusively be spent in Camarines Sur.
31

32. ARGUMENT NO. 1:
“AN ASENSO KAN CAMSUR DARA
KAN KAHIWASAN KAINI”.
32

33. This argument is FALSE, MISLEADING AND
FALLACIOUS.
Let us all be reminded that the present
CAMSUR has 5,502 square kilometers or 5
billion 502 million square meters or 550,200
hectares of land. This is TOO BIG TO MANAGE
EFFICIENTLY, FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY.
The present CamSur has 1,036 barangays
and 35 municipalities plus two (2) cities of Iriga
and Naga.
ARGUMENT NO. 1: 33

34. We have mountain side, seaside, islands,
lakeside and riverside areas.
Within the 3-year term of the Governor,
assuming that he visits one (1) barangay a day,
5 days a week, he can only visit 240 barangays a
year or 720 out of 1,036 barangays. It would
therefore take four (4) years, three (3) months,
three (3) weeks and one (1) day to visit 1,036
barangays at the rate of five (5) a week –
which will never happen.
ARGUMENT NO. 1: 34

35. Besides, dividing the present CamSur
into two (2) provinces do not make the
two (2) provinces SMALL.
More importantly, the progress of any
province should NOT primarily be
dependent on its size but on the
economic, social, cultural, and
environmental development plans, their
related fields of endeavors, and their
implementation.
ARGUMENT NO. 1: 35

36. ARGUMENT NO. 2:
The oppositors contend that BIGGER LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE BETTER LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS.
Misquoting and misrepresenting the Study
of the Local Government Development
Foundation (LOGODEF) the oppositors falsely
claim that:
“Once provinces are broken into smaller
units, the end result is the new local
governments cannot survive for lack of financial
viability”. 36

37. Rebuttal:
In deliberately making this false claim, this
kaputikan, the oppositors cannot cite a single
province that went kaput, or went bankrupt or in
their own words “cannot survive for lack of financial
viability”.
Moreover, we have yet to hear of any province
created from existing provinces complain about their
creation. At the beginning of the last century in 1901
there were only 20 provinces in the Philippines. In
2008 this increased to 79 and now we have 81, their
creations having been resoundingly approved by the
people in their respective plebiscites.
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 37

38. THE TREND FOR DIVISION CONTINUES
RELIGIOUS SECTOR DIVISIONS
I. Roman Catholic Church – the present province of
Camarines Sur is now covered by 2 dioceses :
The Archdiocese of Caceres covers the areas in
district 3, 4 & 5 of Camarines Sur while district 1 &
2 is under the jurisdiction of a Bishop based in
Libmanan.
II. Iglesia ni Cristo
Has been divided into 2 jurisdictions
1. District 1, 2 & 3 are under the supervision of
the minister based in Naga City
2. Districts 4 & 5 (Partido & Rinconada) are
under the jurisdiction of a minister based in Iriga
City.
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 38

39. EDUCATIONAL DIVISION
The office of the Division
Superintendent’s jurisdiction is
proposed to be divided into the
territories proposed for the Nueva
Camarines and the remaining
province of Camarines Sur.
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 39

40. All of these divisions be it in political
sector governance, religious governance,
and educational governance are deemed
essential because the present province of
Camarines Sur as single entity has too large
a land area and too many people to serve,
hence, the imperative necessity to adopt a
division in more manageable sizes and
proportions.
The division of Camarines Sur into 2
provinces is therefore not unique unto itself.
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 40

41. -- In making this grossly erroneous argument, without
any factual or legal basis, the oppositors twisted and
distorted the criteria for financial viability presented by
the Local Government Code.
- Worse, the oppositors maligned and destroyed the
credibility of the LOGODEF Study which they with malice
aforethought misquoted and misrepresented what the
LOGODEF Study said. What the LOGODEF Study actually
pointed out was that the primordial concern of the Local
Government Code in establishing the minimum
standards for creating a new province is to establish a
local government system that is capable of local
governance and local development.
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 41

42. Said minimum standards should not be ignored
according to the LOGODEF Study because that would
be anathema to the long-term foundation of robust
central-local government relations for development.
- Contrary to the false claim of the oppositors, the
LOGODEF STUDY categorically stated the provisions of
the Local Government Code establishing criteria or
requisites for creation of a new province “CANNOT BE
INTERPRETED TO MEAN THAT BIGGER LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE BETTER AND MORE VIABLE
MECHANISM FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE”.
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 42

43. - The most classic example of a Province which was
broken into smaller local government units and was not
merely fragmented into 2 or 3 separate and
independent LGUs, but 15 LGUs were taken away and
segregated from the original mother province i.e. that
of the PROVINCE OF RIZAL.
The Province of Rizal was divided, subdivided, and
partitioned such that the following LGUs with very
expensive parcels of land and with actual and
potentially high local revenue generation capabilities
were removed from the territorial jurisdiction of the
Province of Rizal, namely:
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 43

44. 1. Las Pińas 9. Malabon
2. Parańaque 10. Navotas
3. Muntinglupa 11. Pasig
4. Taguig 12. Marikina
5. Pateros 13. Caloocan
6. Makati 14. Pasay
7. Mandaluyong 15. Quezon City
8. San Juan
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 44

45. The remaining Province of
Rizal is still a robust, dynamic
and progressive province in the
Philippines.
ARGUMENT NO. 2: 45

46. ARGUMENT NO. 3:
“AN MGA BINARANGANG PROVINCIA IYO
NGONIAN ANG PINAKA POBRE ASIN TIOS NA
PROVINCIA – IYO MAN INI AN KAKAABTAN KAN
CAMARINES SUR KUNG TUTUGUTAN TANG
MAPAGDUWA”.
- This argument of the oppositors is a
grossly misleading generalization that
denigrates the intelligence of the
people of Camarines Sur who will
evaluate the division of our province.46

47. - This argument is also a gross
misrepresentation of WHAT is “pobre” or
“tios”? WHO is “pobre” or “tios”, the new
province created or the high percentage of
incidence of poverty even in the so-called
“rich province”?
- Maguindanao which was carved out of
Cotabato in 1973 (before the Local
Government Code) has a population of
1,273,715 and a land area of 9,729 square
kilometers.
47
ARGUMENT NO. 3:

48. It has an Internal Revenue Allotment
(IRA) share of P1,078,630,935 making it
classified as a FIRST CLASS province.
But inspite of its large population, large
land area, a large share in Internal Revenue
Allotment (IRA), it is in the lowest rung of
provinces with very bad governance index
rating (NO. 79). The poverty incidence is
53.4% (NSCB 2009 Rating).
48
ARGUMENT NO. 3:

49. Compared to the present province of
Camarines Sur (undivided) with a population of
1,693,821 and a land area of 5,502 square
kilometers, and an IRA share of
P1,139,991,220, and classified as FIRST CLASS
province. Camarines Sur also has a poverty
incidence of 47% (NSCB 2009 rating).
Maguindanao has a very poor governance
rating index – Number 79 of the 79 provinces in
2009, Camarines Sur is ranked 78 in governance
index, second lowest in the country.
49
ARGUMENT NO. 3:

50. Both so-called “rich provinces” are
badly governed with high poverty incidence.
The obvious conclusion is that it is not
division, not the “hati” that is the cause kan
kadakul na pobreng tao but bad
development planning and bad
implementation and bad management of
resources with hardly any poverty
alleviation impact. In essence, wrong
emphasis, wrong prioritization of
development needs.
50
ARGUMENT NO. 3:

51. There are in fact many outstanding
examples of provinces that were divided that
became progressive local government units,
among many others:
Poverty Incidence GGI
ILOCOS – was divided into
Ilocos Norte (1st CLASS) 22.4% 14
Ilocos Sur (1st CLASS) 27% 12
DAVAO – has been subdivided into:
Davao del Sur (1st CLASS) 24.6% 16
Davao del Norte (1st CLASS) 33.9% 32
Compostela Valley (1st CLASS) 36.7% 10
51
ARGUMENT NO. 3:

52. The 2009 NSCB (published February 2011), Official
Poverty Statistics PROVINCIAL: Cebu, Negros Occidental,
Camarines Sur & Nueva Ecija continue to have the biggest
share in the total number of poor families!
PROVINCE Magnitude of Poor Families % Share to Total
Poor Families
2003 2006 2009 2003 2006 2009
PHILIPPINES 3,293,096 3,670,791 3,855,730 100 100 100
Cebu 185,624 211,406 213,162 5.6 5.8 5.5
Negros Accidental 112,512 130,077 144,828 3.4 3.5 3.8
Camarines Sur 116,460 119,747 126,280 3.5 3.3 3.3
Pangasinan 92,191 128,396 114,400 2.8 3.5 3.0
Nueva Ecija 64,808 94,026 112,367 2.0 2.6 2.9
52

53. All of the preceeding charts clearly demonstrate
the oppositors grossly erroneous and misleading
contention na ang binarangang probinsiya iyo
ang may pinakahalangkaw na poverty incidence.
On the contrary, provinces with large land area
and population including those that there were
NOT divided like Cebu, Pangasinan and Nueva
Ecija have very large magnitude of poor families
and biggest share to total poor families, even if
their revenues are in billions.
53

54. It is therefore a grave error, a grossly
misleading allegation, a false claim of the
oppositors that “ang mga binarangang
provincia iyo ngunian ang mga
pinakapobre asin tios na provincia”.
Putik ining argumentong ini. Dae
kita madara sa balu-bagui na sarala asin
saralto.
54
ARGUMENT NO. 3:

55. But provinces being FIRST CLASS does
not mean that they are being effectively and
efficiently governed or managed. Being FIRST
CLASS does not also necessarily mean that
unemployment and underemployment are
low.
Camarines Sur’s unemployment rate
ranked 44th of the 79 provinces (DOLE Rating)
and the underemployment rate is 63rd of 79
provinces (DOLE Rating). WE NEED TO
REFOCUS OUR ATTENTION TO PRIORITY
CONCERNS that have a wider impact on the
welfare of our people.
55
ARGUMENT NO. 3:

56. ARGUMENT NO. 4:
IYO AN PEHERAK-HERAK ARGUMENT
Sabi kan oppositors “AN KAPALARAN KAN
MATATADANG CAMARINES SUR KAHERAK-HERAK
ASIN TODO NANG MENOS”.
The oppositors claim that Camarines Sur
undivided has an Internal Revenue Allotment
(IRA) of P1,139,991,220.00 billion. If divided into
two (2) provinces, the IRA allocation will be:
56

57. Camarines Sur P 632,472,348.01
Nueva Camarines P 687,062,880.48
______________
TOTAL: P1,319,535,230.49
Camarines Sur divided P1,319,535,230.49
Camarines Sur undivided P1,139,991,220.00
______________
INCREASE IN IRA AS
PRESENTED BY OPPOSITORS P 179,544,010.49
57
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

58. Without explaining it the oppositors
provided data and statistics that the
COMBINED IRA of the two (2) provinces of
Camarines will in fact INCREASE by
P179,544,010.49 million, according to the
oppositors themselves. This INCREASE is the
result of the effect of the division which under
the law both the divided provinces of CamSur
and Nueva Camarines will be entitled, as
divided, to the “equal sharing formula” among
all provinces (existing and newly created) and
the cost of devolved functions.
58
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

59. Before we dispute the paherak-herak
argument of the oppositors as nothing but
an appeal to emotion and not logic and not
reason, sa BU-A-YANG ARGUMENTO ta ang
gusto nindang paluwason iyo na ang
Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) na
mununungod or pertaining to Nueva
Camarines should not be removed from the
remaining Camarines Sur ta kaherak-herak
man ang matatadang Camarines Sur. Bako
ning totoo.
59
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

60. In order that we should not be mislead
by the paherak-herak argument, let us
remember the following principles:
1. That Internal Revenue Taxes are national
taxes and not local taxes.
2. That 40% of Internal Revenue Taxes shall
be the share of local government units
(LGUs) i.e. provinces, cities, municipalities
and barangays.
60
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

61. 3. The share of local government units
(LGUs) in the Internal Revenue Allotment
(IRA) shall be allocated in the following
manner:
Provinces 23%
Cities 23%
Municipalities 34%
Barangays 20%
61
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

62. 4. The 23% share of all provinces shall be
shared by all provinces according to the
following formula:
Population factor 50%
Land Area factor 25%
Equal sharing, 25%
irrespective of
population and land area
62
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

63. 5. By way of illustration: The IRA
distributed in 2010 is based on Internal
Revenue Allotment (IRA) Collections of
the national government in the third
fiscal year preceding (2007) the current
year of distribution (2010) in this
example.
63
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

64. 6. As applied to the present Camarines
Sur (UNIDIVIDED) the IRA share is
P1,139,991,220 billion. If DIVIDED, with
reduced population and land area, but
adding “equal share” formula and the
cost of devolved functions, the
distribution of the IRA as provided by
the Bureau of Local Government Finance
(BLGF) of the Department of Finance are
as follows:
64
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

65. The estimated IRA allocation for CY 2010 as
an example for the divided provinces of
Camarines Sur will be:
The IRA of the COMBINED provinces of
Camarines Sur (CamSur and Nueva Camarines)
will total to P1,375,043,771.88 billion for an
increase of P235,052,551.88 million from the
undivided IRA of Camarines Sur of
P1,139,991,220.00 billion. The oppositors claim
that the increased IRA of the combined
provinces is only P179,544,010.49.
65
ARGUMENT NO. 4:

66.  Even if we accept this figure, there will
still be an increase in IRA recognized
by the oppositors through the
application of the equal sharing
formula and guaranteed cost of the
devolved function (i.e. hospitals).
66

67. DISTORTION OF FIGURES BY
OPPOSITORS
In order to avoid confusion in the
presentation and comparison of
figures, presented by the oppositors as
distinguished from those of the
proponents, the following
clarifications are emphasized:
67

68. 1. The term “IRA” when used refers only to Internal
Revenue Allocations, while the phrase “regular
income” includes IRA and local taxes and fees. To
compare, therefore, “regular income” with IRA only
as oppositors are doing is like comparing apples and
oranges.
2. The share of provinces should be distinguished
and be held apart from the IRA share of cities,
municipalities and barangays because their
respective sharing from IRA is separate from
provinces, hence, the combined IRA of the province
of Camarines Sur, the cities of Naga and Iriga, the 35
municipalities and the 1,036 barangays constitute a
combined total of the tremendous amounts in
billions (P3,836,805,675), not a paltry amount. 68

69. 3. The financial allocation of the district
Congressmen from their Priority Development
Assistance Fund (PDAF) in Congress, the
congressional initiatives and from the lump sum
appropriations from the executive branch of the
government constitute amounts that are higher
than the regular income of the Province of
Camarines Sur, divided or undivided. The
coordinated planning and disbursement of
financial resources will therefore provide a more
effective utilization of resources if the elected
leaders are united in their pursuit of their
mission and vision. 69

70. 4. The oppositors argued that the division of
Camarines Sur into two (2) provinces is a highly
divisive political issue.
“Ironically, it is this division of Camarines Sur
that has UNITED all the squabbling political leaders,
the big-wigs of Camarines Sur – the Fuentebellas,
the Alfelors, the Andayas, Dato Arroyo, Cho Roco
and their groups and I, the father of L-Ray are in
favor of the division of Camarines Sur.”
70

71. We predict that L-Ray and his band of
oppositors will eventually be isolated and
abandoned by many of those who earlier
were supportive of him.
71

72. 5. L-Ray’s resistance on the partition of Camarines
Sur is also anchored on his fear that his tourism
development scheme will be derailed. This is a
false, grossly misleading and misplaced contention
because:
a. The wakeboarding site is in the Municipality of
Pili which will remain in the Province of Camarines
Sur.
b. The Gota Caramoan Project which is located at
the proposed Nueva Camarines will still be retained
by the province of Camarines Sur even if the
location is already outside of it because it is
expressly so provided in Sec. 54 (c) of HB 4820.
72

73. c. But what will cause the loss of the competitive
edge of wakeboarding in Camarines Sur, is that L-
Ray using his two (2) sons as nominees to invest in
the Republic Wakeboard Nuvali Park in Laguna,
thereby creating a competing conflict of interest
between a public enterprise and a private interest.
d. Besides, tourism development in Camarines Sur
cannot be tied primarily to wakeboarding – which is
not sustainable for a prolonged period of years.
Sport tourism should be enlarged to other sports
such as rock climbing, mountain climbing,
windsurfing, scuba diving, surf-biking, dolphin
watching, whale watching, etc.
73

74. e. Other forms of tourism should be
intensely promoted such as pilgrimage
tourism, heritage tourism, culinary tourism,
shopping tourism, health and medical
tourism.
f. Primary reliance on wakeboarding while
may be a good starting point cannot be the
be-all and end-all of tourism development.
That would be a very narrow and restrictive
base for promoting tourism. 74

75. We should stop quibbling about SIZE OF LAND
AREAS (or the kahiwasan kan daga na babangaon
since there are more than enough lands remaining
and awaiting to be developed) but we should put
more emphasis on the areas of development
priorities that can be undertaken:
1. By the local government units (LGUs)
2. By the LGU’s in collaboration
- with national government and its agencies
3. By the LGU’s in partnership w/ the private sectors
75

76. I. AGRICULTURAL & NATURAL RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT
1. CROPS
2. LIVESTOCK
3. FISHERIES
4. FORESTRY
5. MINERALS
76

77. II. PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
6. TRANSPORTATION (water, land, air)
7. POWER & ENERGY
8. COMMUNICATION
9. WATER SUPPLY
10. IRRIGATION & FLOOD CONTROL
III. SOCIAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
11. EDUCATION
12. HEALTH, NUTRITION &SANITATION
13. HOUSING
14. SOCIAL SERVICES 77

78. IV. TRADE, INDUSTRY &TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
15. TRADE & INDUSTRY
16. TOURISM
V. OTHER PRIORITIES
17. ARTS &CULTURE
18. SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
19. SPECIAL CONCERNS (Youth, Women,
Elderly, Disabled/handicapped, Urban
Poor, Cultural Minority/Indigenous
People)
20. PEACE & ORDER
78

79. VI. ENVIRONMENT
21. CONSERVATION/ECOLOGICAL
RESTORATION
22. SUSTAINABILITY
VII. LOCAL GOVERNEMENT ADMINISTRATION
23. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
WITH IT-ORIENTED MANAGEMENT
24. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
25. ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
79

80. GOVERNANCE INDEX RATING
OUT OF 79 PROVINCES SURVEYED IN 2008
NATIONAL STATISTICAL AND
COORDINATION BOARD (NSCB)
- CAMARINES SUR ranked 78, the second
to the lowest. Maguindanao ranked 79.
- Masbate ranked 76
- Camarines Norte ranked 70
- Sorsogon ranked 63
- Albay ranked 61
- Catanduanes 25
80

81. The smallest Province of the Bicol
Region – Catanduanes, with the lesser
land area and lesser population has the
best governance index rating in the Bicol
Region.
81

82. POVERTY INCIDENCE
Rank: 1 – POOR
Rank: 2,3,4 – BETTER
Rank: 5 – BEST
In the Bicol Region:
Camarines Sur – 1 = POOR
Masbate – 1 =POOR
Albay – 2 = BETTER
Sorsogon – 2 =BETTER
Catanduanes – 2 = BETTER
Camarines Norte – 2 = BETTER
None qualifies as BEST 82

83. a. Bring government closer to the people and
deliver government services in a more
effective and responsive manner.
b. Refocus on a well balanced development plan
according to priority imperatives.
83

84. c. There are diseconomies of scale (the
reverse of economies of scale) that
occurs by the sheer size of the land areas
to be developed or governed and the
sheer costs of too many people to be
attended to begin to offset that bigness
brings. Bigness brings with it
inefficiencies, unresponsiveness and the
rigidities of bureaucracy.
84

85. d. The negative consequences of “bigness” have
been well documented. Foremost is the
difficulty of establishing accountability. There
are just too many people involved in delivering
public services. Residents are at a loss on who is
doing what and how redress can be sought
when public service is badly delivered. Blurred
responsibilities are compounded by the lack of
indicators with which performance can be
measured. The absence of accountability
induces under-performance, abuse of powers,
and inefficiencies, and corruption.
85

86. f. To established a more accountable dynamic and
responsive organizational structure and operating
mechanism for a more effective allocation of
resources.
g. To encourage more active participation of the
private sector in local governance as an alternative
strategy for sustainable development.
h.The reduction of the land area of responsibility and
the number of people as constituents are consistent
with the management principle of effective span of
attention and control. It is easier to manage,
monitor, and evaluate results of the delivery of
services.
86

87. i. Since the present Camarines Sur is 85% dependent
on Internal Revenue allotment (IRA) which are
mainly based on land area and population there
results in unequal and unjust allocation of funds to
its component local government units because IRA
obtained from the formula of land area and
population when concentrated into one province
only are not necessarily spend fairly and equitably
throughout all the constituents of the province. The
division of Camarines Sur ensures that the internal
revenue allotment that pertain to Nueva Camarines
will be spent there in the same manner that the
allocation of what remains in the mother province
will exclusively be spent in Camarines Sur.
87

88. OUR VISION FOR THE
FUTURE
88