Cityhood application

Applying to be city 22 municipality
Daet Camarines Sur, Mabalacat Pampanga, Bogo Cebu, Vigan

Existing cities - population
Angeles 1 279,106
Angono 93,627
Antipolo 302,744
Bacolod 462,865
Bacoor 411,675
Bago 45,718
Baguio 292,749
Bais -
Balagtas 64,864
Balanga -
Baliuag 137,032
Batangas 40,432
Bayawan -
Biñan 243,406
Binangonan 226,570
Bislig 60,168
Bocaue 98,844
Butuan 130,136
Cabanatuan 105,750
Cadiz 30,568
Cagayan de Oro 611,158
Cainta 326,224
Calamba 202,328
Calapan -
Calbayog 22,916
Caloocan 1,438,852
Calumpit 94,000
Canlaon -
Cavite 103,401
Cebu 776,140
Cotabato 184,397
Dadiangas 314,455
Dagupan 134,304
Danao -
Dapitan -
Dasmariñas 390,807
Davao 804,074
Digos 57,695
Dipolog 50,643
Dumaguete 114,410
General Mariano Alvarez 144,355
General Santos 314,455
Gingoog 27,380
Guagua 100,954
Guiguinto 82,414
Iligan 45,718
Iloilo 395,809
Imus -
Iriga -
Jolo 110,858
Kabankalan 36,300
Kalookan 1,438,852
Kawit 71,153
Kidapawan -
Koronadal 60,680
La Carlota 25,000
Laoag 49,138
Lapu-Lapu 261,679
Las Piñas 584,813
Legaspi 89,215
Legazpi 89,215
Lipa 53,361
Los Baños 76,822
Lucena 221,420
Maasin -
Mabalacat 115,065
Macabebe 70,605
Makati 439,384
Malabon 369,168
Malaybalay 41,022
Malolos 205,358
Manaoag 59,818
Mandaluyong 294,509
Mandaue 310,724
Mangaldan 91,061
Manila 1,568,926
Marawi 154,445
Marikina 435,532
Mariveles 88,841
Masbate -
Meycauayan 185,837
Montalban 116,430
Muñoz -
Muntinglupa 435,507
Naga 149,759
Navotas 252,862
Obando 54,356
Olongapo 195,763
Ormoc 29,794
Oroquieta -
Ozamis 45,356
Pagadian 84,065
Palayan -
Parañaque 535,833
Pasay 347,342
Pasig 563,493
Passi -
Polomolok 61,616
Puerto Princesa 111,559
Pulilan 80,047
Pulupandan 45,718
Quezon City 2,455,943
Rodriguez 116,430
Rosario 117,624
Roxas 32,864
Sagay 66,637
Samal -
San Carlos 36,003
San Carlos -
San Fernando 45,325
San Fernando 259,794
San Jose -
San Jose del Monte -
San Juan del Monte 113,531
San Mateo 124,667
San Pablo 119,005
San Pedro 278,085
Santa Cruz 101,172
Santa Rosa 253,902
Santiago -
Santo Tomas 32,871
Silay 40,000
Surigao 48,499
Tacloban 201,409
Tacurong -
Tagaytay -
Tagbilaran 90,290
Tagig 605,875
Tagum 90,918
Talisay 45,718
Talisay 112,537
Tanay 60,112
Tangub -
Tarlac 67,141
Taytay 259,135
Toledo -
Trece Martires -
Tuguegarao 47,585
Tulong -
Urdaneta 45,718
Valenzuela 571,271
Victorias 45,718
Zamboanga 155,776


4x35= 140+3= 143


http://worldfacts.us/Philippines.htm
79 provinces and 115 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City*, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*, Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*, Compostela, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City*, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar, General Santos*, Gingoog*, Guimaras, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga, La Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*, Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*, Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*, Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Sarangani, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*, Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay















Mabalacat City?
Jun Malig

WOULD Mabalacat Mayor Marino "Boking" Morales succeed in transforming his municipality into a component city? "In his dreams!" was the reply of some townsfolk opposed to re-election (again) of Boking, who has been serving the Mabalaqueqos as their chief executive since 1995.

Some residents of the first class municipality, especially those inclined to support opposition politicians during elections season, have become apprehensive that once Mabalacat becomes a city Boking would again be qualified to run for city mayor. What probably "frightened" them was the letter to the editor sent by Mabalacat-based businessman and long-time mayoralty candidate Anthony Dee, which was published by this paper (page 5) last April 20.

"With regard to Boking's comment about Mabalacat `becoming the next component city of Pampanga,' the people of Mabalacat should realize that one consequence of Mabalacat attaining cityhood is that Boking will (again) be entitled to run another three terms, not to mention a sizeable increase in its annual budget," Dee said in his letter.

*****

Under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for all local government units is distributed as follows: 23 percent to provinces, 23 percent to cities, 34 percent to municipalities, and 20 percent to barangays. The apportionment for each LGU is also based on a uniform formula: population 50 percent, land area 25 percent, and equal distribution 25 percent. This means that a province, city, municipality or barangay that has bigger population and bigger land area receives bigger IRA share.

By the way, IRA is the about 40 percent of the national internal revenue collection within a fiscal year being given by the national government to LGUs as their shares in the proceeds of national taxes to ensure their full local autonomy as guaranteed by RA 7160.

I was asked how come municipalities still want to become cities if they are receiving 34 percent of IRA while cities receive only 23 percent. The answer is quite simple. All provinces share 23 percent of the entire IRA, all cities share another 23 percent, all municipalities share 34 percent, and all barangays share 20 percent of the fund. (Population and land area affect the share of each LGU). Now, if there are only 117 cities splitting the 23 percent of IRA and there are 1,500 municipalities dividing the 34 percent of it, which would get higher share, a city or a municipality? The answer is obvious. A piece of cake shared with only 116 other people would be a lot bigger than a piece being shared with 1, 499 other persons. This is the main reason why municipalities want to become cities. They want a bigger piece of cake.


Bogo moves closer to becoming a city

by Greg M. Rubio
January 30, 2004

THE House of Representatives, in a resolution, had granted Bogo town an exemption to income ceiling requirement, as stipulated in Republic Act 9009, which the town should fulfill towards its eventual conversion to a city.

R.A. 9009 was enacted on June 30, 2001 raising the income requirement of municipalities aspiring for cityhood from P20 million to P100 million. If RA 9009 is to be followed, Bogo’s annual income cannot comply with it.

The approval of House Joint Resolution No. 29 explained that Bogo is exempted since RA 9009’s passage came only after the Lower House passed House Bill No. 6930.

H.B. 6930, converting Bogo into a component city of Cebu province, was sponsored by Cebu 4th district Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez and was already transmitted to the Senate for eventual passage.

After the granting of the exemption, the Bogo municipal council immediately approved a resolution requesting the Senate to support House Resolution 29 to enable the passage of a law for Bogo cityhood.

“In the interest of fairness and justice, the municipality of Bogo seeks for an exemption from coverage of RA 9009, with respect to the additional requirements,” the municipal council resolution stated.
http://thefreeman.com/local/index.php?fullstory=1&issue=articles_20040130&id=14588


Political, financial and prestige

Practical, financial, fairness







On March 31,2001, Republic Act 90515 converted the once-bucolic town located right across Lasang Bridge of Davao City, raising skeptical eyebrows her big-city neighbors.
"Unsa may nakit-an nila sa Panabo? Ngano man 'to gihimong siyudad!" (What did they see in Panabo? Why did they make it into a City?), they asked, unaware of the legal and technical aspects in the creation of Philippine cities.
Panabo City under the leadership of City Mayor Rey Gavina is up and about, buzzing with a conundrum of activities and projects.
From a mere P63-million Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) during her years as a municipality to an IRA of P263 million as a city, economic and social programs, infrastructure and peace and order projects are well under way.
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p031230.htm&no=7




Govt urged to release IRA funds


By MARICEL V. CRUZ, The Manila Times Reporter
Liberal Party Rep. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas City has demanded the full and automatic release of the past and overdue shares in the internal-revenue allotment of the local government units as he raised alarm over possible delays in the implementation of projects in several provinces given the country’s fragile economic situation.
Mandanas, in filing House Resolution 818, urged President Arroyo to order the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to automatically release in full "the amount erroneously released as Local Government Service Equalization Fund of LGUs which has already reached P44.9 billion accumulated for the past four years.
Mandanas, member of the House Committee on Appropriations, cited a Supreme Court ruling mandating the national government to discharge the IRA funds voluntarily.
According to Mandanas’s resolution, the Court, in its decision dated May 27, 2004, granting the petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus which Mandanas filed on behalf of the province of Batangas during his incumbency as governor against Alberto G. Romulo, then chair of the oversight committee on devolution, DBM Secretary Emilia Boncodin and the lawyer Jose Lina, then secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, has decided that past and overdue amount of internal revenue allotment of the LGUs should be released automatically without need of any further action.
The decision of the Court, it added, has become final and executory when the motion for reconsideration filed by the Office of the Solicitor General on behalf of the respondent, the national government, was denied with finality by the Court in a minute resolution it issued on January 11, 2005. "The financial condition of the country does not permit the immediate and outright release of funds now, and there is therefore a need for an alternative method to comply with the final and executory decision of the Court," Mandanas pointed out.
"Such alternative does exist and as a matter of fact used in the past by the present administration, which is the process of securitization of the unpaid IRA," the lawmaker added.
According to Mandanas, the government, despite its admission of having fiscal problems, still has the Overseas Development Assistance funds and loans which could be tapped for funding the unpaid IRA.
He said the release of the funds "will help assure the people that LGUs will use the fund in accordance with the 10-point agenda of the Arroyo administration and therefore accelerate the development of the LGUs in particular and the country as whole."
The past and overdue IRA funds of the LGUs should be distributed as follows: provinces, 23 percent, or P 10,327,000,000; cities, 23 percent, or P10,327,000,000; municipalities, 34 percent, or P 15,266,000,000; and barangays, 20 percent, or P 8,980,000,000.00.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=6441



Straight from LGU experts: Consolidation not fragmentation

by E.C. Dioko
June 4, 2005

In the midst of the Sugbuak controversy, which has become an emotional political issue, the Local Government Development Foundation (LOGODEF), a Manila-based NGO, has come out with a monograph entitled Fragmentation vs. Consolidation, a document which objectively analyzes problems and concerns arising from creation of new local government units, including a province. Such analysis includes a comparative study on number of provinces in Southeast Asian countries, percentage of LGU dependency on the internal revenue allotment (IRA), the statutory requirements on the creation of new LGU, and the cost estimates of creating such political body.
How does the number of provinces in the Philippines compare with that of other Asian countries? With a land area of only 298,170 (sq.km.), we have 79 provinces, higher than that in China (23 provinces), Indonesia (30 provinces), Japan (47 prefectures), Thailand (76 changwats), and Vietnam (59 provinces). The irony is that we have the smallest land area, yet we have more provinces than these countries! A fragmented country? You bet we are!
One of the justifications advanced by Sugbuak champions is to attain greater autonomy insofar as governance is concerned. But autonomy presupposes a strong local reserve base sufficient to finance development projects and basic services, a base greater than what the national government can give. Will there be such resource base for the proposed new provinces? The answer is negative.
Proof of this is the high percentage of IRA dependency among existing LGUs. Here are the figures: Provinces, 84.4%; Municipalities, 78.0%; Cities, 45.1% and barangays, 95.0%. What's the implication? The higher the percentage, the smaller is the reserve base and therefore, if the central government defaults on its IRA release (perhaps for reason of unmanageable debts), most local governments, including many provinces will simply collapse.
Another strong argument against Sugbuak is the exorbitant cost of creation and the subsequent high cost of operation and maintenance. LOGODEF estimates that the birth of a new province costs no less than P789,650,940.11. This covers organizational expense, infrastructure, site and equipment purchase, supplies and materials and recurring annual operating funds. Almost a billion pesos! Why waste so much money for a doubtful project? But the money problem does not end with the founding of a new political body. There is still the matter of yearly operating expense.
How much will this be in the case of the proposed new Cebu provinces? LOGODEF does not have the estimate. But for the purpose of comparison it has figures from the 2003 consolidated statement of income and expenditure on the province of Zamboanga del Sur, a less develop one compared to Cebu. And the figure is P389,761,059.79 itemized as follows: Personal services, P157,644,721.65; maintenance and other operating expenses, P125,245,973.70; and financial expense, P6,031,965.34.
Where will the new provinces get the money? To be sure, the constituent municipalities of the proposed provinces are mere third and fourth class municipalities, most of which have an income of less than 10 million pesos. Even with IRA the new provinces once set up will find it difficult to support themselves as distinct political units.
These factors considered, LOGODEF gives the following "dysfunctional and negative implications" of any move to fragmentize a local government unit: "1) It fosters, if not increase, the non-viability of smaller and weaker local governments to be created. In the long run, fragmentation hinders the stabilization of local governance. 2) It further distorts the IRA formula, which even at present, is but making many local governments mendicants. Moreover, it negates the concept of fiscal decentralization. 3) It aggravates further the already substandard quality of services legally and morally expected of the existence of local authorities. 4) The cost of creating new local government and the financial requirements to maintain an effective one is… not advisable considering the present financial crisis. 5) Creating new local governments has no strategic value to the Philippines."
http://www.thefreeman.com/opinion/story-20050604-31253.html




House panel lowers income requirement for cityhood
The number of cities is expected to increase as the House of Representatives has moved to lower the income requirement for a city from P100 million to P20 million.
The House committee on local government chaired by Negros Oriental Rep. Emilio Macias II said his panel has approved the bill to amend several provisions of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code, specifically on the requirements for a town to convert into a city.
LGC had originally required a P20 million minimum in locally generated income for an LGU to be a city but this was amended by RA 9009 which took effect on June 30, 2001.
The law increased the annual income requirement for the conversion of a municipality into a city from P20 million to P100 million, as certified by the Department of Finance.
Macias said the lawmakers proposed reverting the income requirement to P20 million.
Leyte Rep. Carmen Cari, author of the resolution, argued that prior to June 30, 2001, there were bills approved by the Lower House but pending in the Senate that complied with the requisites for cityhood. The conversion also seeks that a town should be at least 50 sq km and have a minimum population of 200,000.
Rizal Rep. Victor Sumulong confirmed that the Senate failed to act on 22 bills dealing with the conversion before June 30, 2001. Of the 22 bills, he said only 16 have been refiled in the present Congress, and the remaining 16 should be revived. “Otherwise, they would be considered dead bills.”
Macias said his committee also adopted House Joint Resolution 6 which seeks to exempt bills, seeking the conversion of some areas into component cities from the coverage of RA 9009 which were filed and pending before Congress before June 30, 2001.
http://www.manilastandardonline.com:8080/mnlastd/ContentLoader?page=politics02_aug24_2003


What's Behind RA9009
Date: April 29, 2005
Through the advocacy efforts of the League of Cities of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9009 lapsed into law on February 24, 2001.
Republic Act No. 9009 revises the income requirement for conversion of municipalities, by increasing the same to P100-Million locally generated income at 2000 constant prices.
RA 9009 amended Section 450 of the Local Government Code by increasing the income requirement for creation or conversion and making the same more stringent, as follows: " A municipality or a cluster of barangays may be converted into a component city if it has a locally generated average income, as certified by the Department of Finance, of at least One Hundred Million Pesos(P100,000,000.00)for the last two(2) consecutive years based on 2000 constant prices".
The pertinent portions of Section 450 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code provide: "Sec. 450. Requisites for Creation. (a) A Municipality or a cluster of barangays may be converted into a component city if it has an average annual income, as certified by the Department of Finance, of at least Twenty Million pesos (P20,000,000.00)for the last two(2) consecutive years based on 1991 constant prices, and if it has either of the following requisites:
(i) a contiguous territory of at least one hundred(100) square kilometers, as certified by the Lands Management Bureau; or
(ii) a population of not less than one hundred fifty thousand(150,000) inhabitants, as certified by the National Statistics" :(emphasis provided).
http://cdsea.org/kcollection/behindRA9009.asp
Increasing the Average Annual Income Requirement to Qualify as Component City RA 9009 02/24/01


TITLE THREE. - THE CITY
CHAPTER 1 - ROLE AND CREATION OF THE CITY
SEC. 448. Role of the City. - The city, consisting of more urbanized and developed barangays, serves as a general-purpose government for the coordination and delivery of basic, regular, and direct services and effective governance of the inhabitants within its territorial jurisdiction.
SEC. 449. Manner of Creation. - A city may be created, divided, merged, abolished, or its boundary substantially altered, only by an Act of Congress, and subject to approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite to be conducted by the Comelec in the local government unit or units directly affected. Except as may otherwise be provided in such Act, the plebiscite shall be held within one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of its effectivity.
SEC. 450. Requisites for Creation. - (a) A municipality or a cluster of barangays may be converted into a component city if it has an average annual income, as certified by the Department of Finance, of at least Twenty million pesos (P20,000,000.00) for the last two (2) consecutive years based on 1991 constant prices, and if it has either of the following requisites:
(i) a contiguous territory of at least one hundred (100) square kilometers, as certified by the Lands Management Bureau; or,
(ii) a population of not less than one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) inhabitants, as certified by the National Statistics Office: Provided, That, the creation thereof shall not reduce the land area, population, and income of the original unit or units at the time of said creation to less than the minimum requirements prescribed herein.
(b) The territorial jurisdiction of a newly-created city shall be properly identified by metes and bounds. The requirement on land area shall not apply where the city proposed to be created is composed of one (1) or more islands. The territory need not be contiguous if it comprises two (2) or more islands.
(c) The average annual income shall include the income accruing to the general fund, exclusive of special funds, transfers, and non-recurring income.
SEC. 451. Cities, Classified. - A city may either be component or highly urbanized: Provided, however, That the criteria established in this Code shall not affect the classification and corporate status of existing cities. Independent component cities are those component cities whose charters prohibit their voters from voting for provincial elective officials. Independent component cities shall be independent of the province.
SEC. 452. Highly Urbanized Cities. - (a) Cities with a minimum population of two hundred thousand (200,000) inhabitants, as certified by the National Statistics Office, and with the latest annual income of at least Fifty Million Pesos (P=50,000,000.00) based on 1991 constant prices, as certified by the city treasurer, shall be classified as highly urbanized cities.
(b) Cities which do not meet the above requirements shall be considered component cities of the province in which they are geographically located. If a component city is located within the boundaries of two (2) or more provinces, such city shall be considered a component of the province of which it used to be a municipality.
(c) Qualified voters of highly urbanized cities shall remain excluded from voting for elective provincial officials. Unless otherwise provided in the Constitution or this Code, qualified voters of independent component cities shall be governed by their respective charters, as amended, on the participation of voters in provincial elections. Qualified voters of cities who acquired the right to vote for elective provincial officials prior to the classification of said cities as highly-urbanized after the ratification of the Constitution and before the effectivity of this Code, shall continue to exercise such right.
http://www.chanrobles.com/localgov3.htm