2008 Quezon del Sur creation plebiscite
December 13, 2008 (2008-12-13)
Results
Choice
 Votes  %
Yes 157,457 43.41%
No 205,265 56.59%
Valid votes 362,722 99.53%
Invalid or blank votes 1,705 0.47%
Total votes 364,427 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 957,199 38.07%
Results by municipalities, cities, congressional districts, and proposed provinces.

The Quezon del Sur creation plebiscite was a plebiscite on the creation of the province of Quezon del Sur from Quezon; the original Quezon province would have been renamed to "Quezon del Norte" had the plebiscite been approved by the residents of Quezon. The plebiscite was held on December 13, 2008, and the result was a slight majority rejecting the creation of the province.

Gumaca would have been the capital of Quezon del Sur, while Lucena would have been retained as Quezon del Norte's capital. Both provinces would have remained part of Calabarzon under their original acronym "zon".[1]

Referendum question

The Quezon del Sur creation plebiscite was supervised and officiated by the COMELEC pursuant to Resolution No. 8553.

The question of the said plebiscite was:

DO YOU APPROVE OF THE CREATION OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEZON DEL SUR, WHICH SHALL BE COMPOSED OF THE MUNICIPALITIES OF AGDANGAN, BUENAVISTA, CATANAUAN, GENERAL LUNA, MACALELON, MULANAY, PADRE BURGOS, PITOGO, SAN ANDRES, SAN FRANCISCO, SAN NARCISO, UNISAN, ALABAT, ATIMONAN, CALAUAG, GUINAYANGAN, GUMACA, LOPEZ, PEREZ, PLARIDEL, QUEZON AND TAGKAWAYAN, AND THE RENAMING OF THE MOTHER PROVINCE OF QUEZON INTO QUEZON DEL NORTE, WHICH SHALL BE COMPOSED OF THE MUNICIPALITIES OF BURDEOS, GENERAL NAKAR, INFANTA, JOMALIG, LUCBAN, MAUBAN, PAGBILAO, PANUKULAN, PATNANUNGAN, POLILLO, REAL, SAMPALOC, TAYABAS CITY, CANDELARIA, DOLORES, SAN ANTONIO, SARIAYA, TIAONG AND LUCENA CITY, PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9495 DATED SEPTEMBER 7, 2007?

Background

In 2007, Republic Act No. 9495 was proposed to further divide Quezon into Quezon del Norte and Quezon del Sur. Quezon del Norte was to be composed of the first and second congressional districts of the province (Burdeos, General Nakar, Infanta, Jomalig, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Panukulan, Patnanungan, Polillo, Real, Sampaloc, Tayabas, Candelaria, Dolores, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tiaong and Lucena City), with Lucena City as its capital. Quezon del Sur, with its capital at Gumaca, would have been composed of the third and fourth congressional districts (Agdangan, Buenavista, Catanauan, General Luna, Macalelon, Mulanay, Padre Burgos, Pitogo, San Andres, San Francisco, San Narciso, Unisan, Alabat, Atimonan, Calauag, Guinayangan, Gumaca, Lopez, Perez, Plaridel, Quezon and Tagkawayan). The act lapsed into law without the signature of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on September 7, 2007.

As required by law, the COMELEC held a plebiscite on December 13, 2008, 60 days after Republic Act No. 9495 took effect. Gov. Rafael Nantes, one of the original authors of the law, and Vice Gov. Carlos Portes, opposed the division of the province. Board member Sonny Pulgar and businessman Hobart Dator Jr. launched the "Save Quezon Province Movement." The Comelec allotted P 50 million for the plebiscite.[2] Academician Prof. Joseph Jadway "JJ" Marasigan provided what he called the "strong theoretical framework" that deemed the said split as a step backward. He instead called for the professionalization of service institutions and the differentiation of functions as the answer to the province's increasingly becoming complex environment. He organized students and fellow academicians to oppose such move. His participation resulted in a grave misunderstanding with Lucena Catholic Bishop Emilio Marquez who strongly supported the idea of splitting the province. Marasigan maintained that bishops have no business in dealing with entirely political matters and should refrain from using their influence over their flock. Gov. Rafael Nantes later softened his stand against the proposed creation of Quezon del Sur.[3] Accordingly, upon request of Comelec Chair Jose Melo, a P38 million "Special Allotment Release Order" was issued by the Department of Budget and Management to the Commission on Elections (Philippines) to fund the holding of the plebiscite.[4]

On November 17, 2008, Save Quezon Province Movement (SQPM) asked the Supreme Court of the Philippines to declare Republic Act 9495 as unconstitutional, and to restrain the implementation of a November 12 COMELEC Resolutions Nos. 8533, 8534, 8535, 8537, 8538 and 8539,[5] setting the plebiscite.[6][7] Yet the plebiscite proceeded with the majority of votes rejecting the division, therefore the split did not push through.

Results

Summary

Plebiscite for the approval of Republic Act 9495
Choice Votes  %
Referendum failed No 205,265 56.59
Yes 157,457 43.41
Required majority 50.00
Valid votes 362,722 99.53
Invalid or blank votes 1,705 0.47
Total votes 364,427 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 957,199 37.89
Source: COMELEC report

By administrative division

Administrative division Yes No
Total  % Total  %
Agdangan 1,150 38.18 1,862 61.82
Alabat 1,610 39.50 2,466 60.50
Atimonan 2,593 22.14 9,121 77.86
Buenavista 4,067 55.88 3,211 44.12
Burdeos 382 12.65 2,637 87.35
Calauag 6,851 50.28 6,776 49.72
Candelaria 3,463 24.99 10,394 75.01
Catanauan 10,126 65.32 5,376 34.68
Dolores 798 21.04 2,995 78.96
General Luna 4,203 71.35 1,688 28.65
General Nakar 1,679 32.80 3,440 67.20
Guinayangan 6,474 75.41 2,111 24.59
Gumaca 12,524 84.86 2,235 15.14
Infanta 2,849 24.80 8,641 75.20
Jomalig 255 34.65 481 65.35
Lopez 10,940 61.35 6,892 38.65
Lucban 2,735 33.77 5,364 66.23
Lucena City 14,635 37.47 24,423 62.53
Macalelon 3,363 50.57 3,287 49.43
Mauban 1,085 9.17 10,751 90.83
Mulanay 4,129 39.44 6,341 60.56
Padre Burgos 2,339 45.99 2,747 54.01
Pagbilao 5,301 42.61 7,141 57.39
Panukulan 724 30.18 1,675 69.82
Patnanungan 336 16.29 1,727 83.71
Perez 1,083 34.66 2,042 65.34
Pitogo 4,353 72.71 1,634 27.29
Plaridel 1,601 61.32 1,010 38.68
Polillo 737 13.96 4,541 86.04
Quezon 2,136 54.16 1,808 45.84
Real 1,950 31.20 4,301 68.80
Sampaloc 411 11.70 3,101 88.30
San Andres 2,866 62.84 1,695 37.16
San Antonio 867 14.06 5,300 85.94
San Francisco 5,754 51.91 5,330 48.09
San Narciso 4,646 52.18 4,258 47.82
Sariaya 4,713 35.65 8,507 64.35
Tagkawayan 5,510 54.92 4,522 45.08
Tayabas 5,517 36.55 9,578 63.45
Tiaong 5,573 33.22 11,205 66.78
Unisan 5,129 65.93 2,651 34.07
Quezon 157,457 43.41 205,265 56.59
Source: COMELEC[8]

By proposed province

Proposed province Yes No
Total  % Total  %
Quezon del Norte 54,010 29.97 126,202 70.03
Quezon del Sur 103,447 56.68 79,063 43.32
Quezon 157,457 43.41 205,265 56.59

By congressional district

Congressional districts Yes No
Total  % Total  %
Quezon–1st 23,961 27.43 63,378 72.57
Quezon–2nd 30,049 32.35 62,824 67.65
Quezon–3rd 52,125 56.53 40,080 43.47
Quezon–4th 51,322 56.83 38,983 43.17
Quezon 157,457 43.41 205,265 56.59

Notes

  1. ↑ newsinfo.inquirer.net, January polls to decide division of Quezon
  2. ↑ Mallari, Delfin Jr. (September 26, 2008). "Comelec to hold plebiscite on Quezon split Nov. 29". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Quezon gov softens stance". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 23, 2008. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Funds out for Quezon plebiscite". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 26, 2008. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Creation of Quezon del Sur province opposed". GMA News. November 17, 2008.
  6. ↑ Torres, Tetch (November 17, 2008). "SC asked to stop plebiscite on 2 Quezons". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  7. ↑ "Comelec sets polls to divide Quezon". Philippine Daily Inquirer. November 16, 2008. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ Statement of Votes per City/Municipality of the Plebiscite Board of Canvassers for the Plebiscite to Ratify the Creation of the Province of Quezon del Sur and the Renaming of the Mother Province of Quezon into Quezon del Norte. COMELEC.
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