CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE—A plebiscite to divide the biggest village (barangay) in this lone district city into four villages, is set for March 25, officials said on Monday.
If approved by the residents of Barangay Muzon, the three new barangays to be created, Muzon East, Muzon West and Muzon South, Bulacan’s 569 total barangays will become 572.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will conduct the plebiscite after Republic Act 11896, “An Act Dividing Barangay Muzon in City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Into Four Separate and Independent Barangays to be named as Muzon Proper, Muzon East, Muzon West and Muzon South” lapsed into law on July 1, 2022.
The law which was filed in congress by proponent, City of San Jose del Monte Lone District Rep. Florida Robes was approved in congress on June 3, 2020 and was amended and approved by the senate on Jan. 17, 2022.
Robes said Muzon with its more than 100,000 population and is the largest village in the 59 villages in the city is being deprived of the due basic services because of the limited budget and income allotted for only one village but which can be three or four times more to suffice the needs of the huge number of inhabitants.
“The law will improve the delivery of basic services and effectively manage resources for the general welfare of the whole constituency of the city,” Robes said.
The Lone District of the City of San Jose del Monte is one of the four component cities in Bulacan. Considered as the relocation capital of in the country where national housing projects for Metro Manila informal settlers was started to be built in Barangay Sapang Palay in 1961, it is now known as one of the “Fastest Rising City” in the country with the largest population of among the province four cities and 20 municipalities.
Barangay Muzon hosts numerous national government relocation sites and housing projects for residents in Metro Manila living in danger zones and disastrous prone areas.
San Jose del Monte based on 2020 population has 651,853. It is adjacent to Caloocan City, Quezon City and Rizal Province.
Mayor Arthur Robes estimates the current city’s population today to around 750,000 to more than 900,000.
