Legislative districts of Surigao del Norte
# Legislative districts of Surigao del Norte

The legislative districts of Surigao del Norte are the representations of the province of Surigao del Norte in the various national legislatures of the Philippines. The province is currently represented in the lower house of the Congress of the Philippines through its first and second congressional districts. The 1st legislative district comprises nine municipalities on the islands of Siargao and Bucas Grande (plus smaller islands); the 2nd legislative district comprises Surigao City and eleven other municipalities on the mainland of Mindanao.

## History

Prior to gaining separate representation, areas now under the jurisdiction of Surigao del Norte were represented under the former province of Surigao (1907–1961).

The enactment of Republic Act No. 2786 on June 19, 1960, split the old Surigao province into Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, and provided the new provinces separate representations in Congress. The new province of Surigao del Norte first elected its own representative in the 1961 elections.

Surigao del Norte was represented in the Interim Batasang Pambansa as part of Region X from 1978 to 1984, and returned one representative, elected at large, to the Regular Batasang Pambansa in 1984. The province was reapportioned into two congressional districts under the new Constitution which was proclaimed on February 11, 1987, and elected members to the restored House of Representatives starting that same year.

The passage of Republic Act No. 9355 and its subsequent ratification by plebiscite in December 2006 separated seven municipalities from Surigao del Norte's first congressional district to form the new province of Dinagat Islands, which began to elect its own representative in the 2007 elections. Despite Dinagat Islands being nullified as a province by the Supreme Court of the Philippines on February 11, 2010 the decision was not yet rendered final and executory before the 10 May 2010 elections; therefore the Commission on Elections still organized separate elections for the Dinagat Islands' congressional representative and provincial officials. The representatives of the reconfigured first district of Surigao del Norte and the lone district of Dinagat Islands continued to represent their respective constituencies even after the Supreme Court rendered its original decision final and executory on 18 May 2010.

After the Supreme Court reversed its previous ruling on April 12, 2011, and subsequently upheld with finality the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 9355 and the creation of Dinagat Islands as a province through an Entry of Judgment on October 24, 2012, the separation of Dinagat Islands from Surigao del Norte's first district became permanent.

## 1st District

* Municipalities: Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, Santa Monica, Socorro
* Population (2015): 116,587

| Period | Representative |
| - | - |
| 14th Congress 2007–2010 | Francisco T. Matugas |
| 15th Congress 2010–2013 | Francisco T. Matugas |
| 16th Congress 2013–2016 | Francisco T. Matugas |
| 17th Congress 2016–2019 | Francisco Jose F. Matugas II |
| 18th Congress 2019–2022 | Francisco Jose F. Matugas II |
| 19th Congress 2022–2025 | Francisco Jose F. Matugas II |

### 1987–2007

* Municipalities: Basilisa, Burgos, Cagdianao, Dapa, Del Carmen, Dinagat, Libjo, Loreto, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, San Jose, Santa Monica, Socorro, Tubajon

| Period | Representative |
| - | - |
| 8th Congress 1987–1992 | Glenda B. Ecleo |
| 9th Congress 1992–1995 | Glenda B. Ecleo |
| 10th Congress 1995–1998 | Constantino H. Navarro, Jr. |
| 11th Congress 1998–2001 | Constantino H. Navarro, Jr. |
| 12th Congress 2001–2004 | Glenda B. Ecleo |
| 13th Congress 2004–2007 | Glenda B. Ecleo |

## 2nd District

* City: Surigao City
* Municipality: Alegria, Bacuag, Claver, Gigaquit, Mainit, Malimono, Placer, San Francisco, Sison, Tagana-an, Tubod
* Population (2015): 368,501

| Period | Representative |
| - | - |
| 8th Congress 1987–1992 | Constantino C. Navarro |
| 9th Congress 1992–1995 | Robert Z. Barbers |
| 10th Congress 1995–1998 | Robert Z. Barbers |
| 10th Congress 1995–1998 | vacant |
| 11th Congress 1998–2001 | Robert Ace S. Barbers |
| 12th Congress 2001–2004 | Robert Ace S. Barbers |
| 13th Congress 2004–2007 | Robert Ace S. Barbers |
| 14th Congress 2007–2010 | Guillermo A. Romarate, Jr. |
| 15th Congress 2010–2013 | Guillermo A. Romarate, Jr. |
| 16th Congress 2013–2016 | Guillermo A. Romarate, Jr. |
| 17th Congress 2016–2019 | Robert Ace S. Barbers |
| 18th Congress 2019–2022 | Robert Ace S. Barbers |
| 19th Congress 2022–2025 | Robert Ace S. Barbers |

Notes

* ↑ Resigned on April 15, 1996, to assume office as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government the next day; seat remained vacant until the end of the 10th Congress.

## Lone District (defunct)

* includes the present-day province of Dinagat Islands

| Period | Representative |
| - | - |
| 5th Congress 1961–1965 | Reynaldo P. Honrado |
| 6th Congress 1965–1969 | Constantino C. Navarro |
| 7th Congress 1969–1972 | Constantino C. Navarro |

## At-Large (defunct)

* includes the present-day province of Dinagat Islands

| Period | Representative |
| - | - |
| Regular Batasang Pambansa 1984–1986 | Constantino C. Navarro |
