BALAMBAN, Cebu — Cebu province will soon see the birth of yet another city in about a year's time as a Cebuano congressman files a bill seeking the transformation of Balamban – the country’s shipbuilding capital, from a first class municipality into a city.

Cebu 3rd District Representative Pablo John Garcia said he will file a bill when in Congress soon for the conversion of Balamban into a city. The town, he said, meets all the qualifications set by law to be transformed into a city.

In terms of lot area, Balamban is qualified because it is the biggest town in Cebu province. Where income is concerned, the town surpasses the requirement of at least R100 million local income for the past two years. In the first six months of this year alone, Balamban has already exceeded P100 million.

“These two categories alone make Balamban highly-qualified to be a city,” Garcia said as he stressed that the League of Cities of the Philippines has already stated that it will not obstruct any move to transform a town into a city as long as the town meets all the qualifications.

Garcia said he is hopeful that the bill he will file will be passed in the House without question as he also urged the town council and local officials of Balamban to rally with him in asking Senator Bongbong Marcos, who chairs the senate local government committee, to pass the bill in the Senate.

“Maybe one year from filing, or it could be sooner, Balamban will be a city. Of course there will be a plebiscite,” said Garcia.