Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 77)
The main purpose of Executive Order No. 77 is to classify municipal districts in the Philippines and declare certain municipal districts as municipalities as well as certain municipalities as first class municipal districts based on their average annual revenues.
It operates pursuant to Section 2630 of the Revised Administrative Code, as amended by Section 1 of Republic Act No. 1515.
Classification is based on the average annual revenues of the municipal districts for the four fiscal years from 1961 to 1964, as certified by the General Auditing Office.
Municipal districts are classified as first class, second class, third class, fourth class, and fifth class (the latter equated to seventh class municipalities as per Republic Act No. 2368).
In Abra, the municipal districts classified as first class are Licuan and Maliboong.
They are given tentative classifications effective as of the date of their corporate existence based on their annual revenues during the fiscal year following their organization.
By operation of Section 2 of Republic Act No. 1515, municipal districts realizing an average annual revenue of more than ₱4,000 during the four consecutive fiscal years ended June 30, 1964, are declared fifth class (seventh class) municipalities.
They are ipso facto considered as first class municipal districts effective July 1, 1964, and shall be governed by the provisions of Article 6, Chapter 64 of the Revised Administrative Code, as amended.
Kapai and Madalum in Lanao del Sur; Santa Fe in Nueva Vizcaya; Panukulan in Quezon are declared fifth class municipalities.
They continue as officials until their successors have been elected during the next general elections for local officials and have qualified.