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102 OG No. 1, 4 (January 2, 2006)

[ PROCLAMATION NO. 940, October 27, 2005 ]

CONVERTING THE CITY OF TARLAC FROM A COMPONENT CITY INTO A HIGHLY-URBANIZED CITY

WHEREAS, it is a declared policy of the present administration to support local government initiatives to attain their fullest development and self-reliance, as well as to make them more effective partners in the attainment of national goals, most especially towards the vision of a Strong Philippine Republic;

WHEREAS, Section 452 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the local Government Code of 1991, provides that cities with a minimum population of Two Hundred Thousand (200,000) inhabitants as certified by the National Statistics Office (NSO), and with the latest income of at least Fifty Million pesos (P50,000,000.00) based on 1991 constant prices, as certified by the city treasurer, shall be classified as highly urbanized cities;

WHEREAS, Section 453 of the LGC also provides that it shall be the duty of the President to declare a component city as highly-urbanized within thirty (30) days after it shall have met the minimum requirements prescribed in section 452 of the same Code, upon application therefore;

WHEREAS, under the Rules and Regulations Implementing the Local Government Code of 1991, the procedure for converting a city into a highly urbanized one is as follows:

1. Resolution. The interested component city shall submit to the Office of the President a resolution of its Sanggunian adopted by a majority of all of the members in a meeting duly called for the purpose, and approved and endorsed by the city mayor. Said resolution shall be accompanied by certifications as to income and population.
   
   
2. Declaration of Conversion. Within thirty (30) days from the receipt of such resolution, the President shall, after verifying the income and population requirements have been met, declare the component city as highly-urbanized.
   
   
3. Plebiscite. Within one hundred twenty (120) days from the declaration of the President, the COMELEC shall conduct a plebiscite in the city proposed to be converted. Such plebiscite shall be preceded by a comprehensive information campaign to be conducted by the COMELEC with the assistance of national and local government officials, media, NGOs, and other interested parties.
   

WHEREAS, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Tarlac in a Resolution No. 78, series of 2005, requested the President to declare the City of Tarlac as a highly-urbanized city;

WHEREAS, the City of Tarlac has met the minimum requirements prescribed under Section 452 of the LGC of 1991 for a city to be classified as highly-urbanized.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby proclaim the City of Tarlac as a highly – urbanized city, provided, however, that this Proclamation shall take effect upon ratification in a plebiscite by the qualified voters therein, as provided for in Section 453 of the Local Government Code of 1991.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 27th day of October in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Five.



By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary