Marcos plays name game

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved renaming several circumferential and bypass roads, a bridge, and a national highway nationwide and established one barangay in Mindanao by enacting five new laws.

The Chief Executive signed Republic Acts 11986, 11987, 11988 and 11989 on 21 March, but they were only released to the public on Sunday, 24 March.

He signed RA 11986, establishing Barangay Guinhalinan in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.

The legislation mandates the Commission on Elections to oversee a plebiscite in Barangay Guinhalinan within three months of its enactment. The municipality of Barobo will cover the costs of the plebiscite.

The mayor of Barobo would appoint a barangay captain, seven barangay council members, a Sangguniang Kabataan chair, and seven councilors until new officials are elected and duly qualified.

Under RA 11987, Marcos renamed the Bohol Island Circumferential Road as the “President Carlos P. Garcia Circumferential Road.”

This route spans Barangay Poblacion III, extending north from Tagbilaran City and looping back to the same barangay from the city’s eastern direction.

Additionally, he signed RA 11988, which changed the name of the “Urdaneta City Bypass Road” to “Ambassador Eduardo ‘Danding’ M. Cojuangco Jr. Avenue.” This road passes through Barangays Nancayasan, Santo Domingo, Santa Lucia, Camantiles and Anonas in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.

Furthermore, Mr. Marcos approved Republic Act 11989, renaming the Tambacan Bridge as the “Mariano Lluch Badelles Sr. Bridge,” which covers the Iligan River in Barangay Tambacan, Iligan City, located in the Northern Mindanao Region.

The five laws will take effect 15 days following their publications in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.