Resolution No. 8706

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9591, provides that the City of Malolos shall have its own legislative district;

WHEREAS, Republic Act 9723 converted the municipality of Dasmarias, Cavite into a component city and the conversion was ratified in a plebiscite conducted on November 25, 2009;

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9774 entitled "An Act Providing for the Reapportionment of Legislative Districts in the Province of Lanao del Norte" passed into law on 17 November 2009;

WHEREAS, Sec. 5 of Republic Act Nos. 9774 provides that the Act shall take effect immediately upon its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation;

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9774 was published in the Manila Standard and Manila Times on 18 November 2009;

WHEREAS, with the reapportionment of the province of Lanao del Norte, the new composition of each legislative district is as follows:

WHEREAS, Lanao del Norte is a Second (2nd) Class province, and as such, pursuant to Sec. 4 of Republic Act 6636 as amended by Section 2 of Republic Act 6637, is entitled to ten (10) elective members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan who are elected by legislative districts;

WHEREAS, Sec. 3 (a) of Republic Act No. 7166, provides that:

"Sec.3. Election of Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang Bayan - The elective members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang Bayan shall be elected as follows:

"(a) For provinces with two (2) or more legislative districts, the elective members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan shall be elected by legislative districts. For this purpose, the number of seats shall be apportioned equitably; Provided, That, if equal division is not possible, the remaining member or members shall be elected in the district or districts with the greater number of population or, if they be the same, with the greater number of voters. X x x."

WHEREAS, based on the 2007 census, the population of the new First and Second Districts of Lanao del Norte, are as follows:

WHEREAS, Sec. 8 of Republic Act No. 9723 provides that the City of Dasmarias shall have twelve (12) elective members of the Sanguniang Panlungsod, which shall be elected at large;

WHEREAS, Sec. 61 of Republic Act No. 9723 provides that the City of Dasmarias shall vote for provincial elective positions;

WHEREAS, of Republic Act. No. 6636, mandates that:

"Sec. 3. Other Cities. - The provision of any law to the contrary notwithstanding, the City of Cebu, City of Davao, and any other city with more than one representative district shall have eight (8) councilors for each district who shall be residents thereof to be elected by the qualified voters therein, provided that the Cities of Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Bacolod, lloilo and other cities comprising a representative district shall have twelve (12) councilors each and all other cities shall have ten (10) councilors each to be elected at large by the qualified voters of the said cities: Provided, That in no case shall the present number of councilors according to their charters be reduced."

NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission RESOLVED as it hereby RESOLVES to amend Resolution No. 8670, including its attachments, insofar as the number of the Members of Sangguniang Panglalawigan for the province of Lanao del Norte and Sangguniang Panlunsod for the City of Dasmarias, and the City of Malolos as follows:

Let the Education and Information Department cause the publication of this Resolution in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and furnish copies thereof to the Regional Directors, Provincial Election Supervisors and Election Officers concerned and to all departmentsloffices in the Main Office of the Commission.

SO ORDERED.