On December 19, 2007, then Senator Mar Roxas introduced and filed Senate Bill 1986 that seeks to amend section 57 of Republic Act 8754, the component law converting Malolos from a municipality to a component city. The bill was read on First Reading and Referred to the Committee on Rules on the same day as it was filed. On May 13, 2008, it was referred to the Committee on Local Government, on motion of Senator Francis Pangilinan. On October 6, 2008, the bill was sponsored by Senator Benigno S. Aquino III, and co-sponsored by Senators Richard J. Gordon and Mar Roxas.