QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 8845)
Section 452 of the LGC of 1991 provides that cities with a minimum population of 200,000 inhabitants (certified by the National Statistics Office) and a latest annual income of at least ₱50,000,000 based on 1991 constant prices (certified by the City Treasurer) shall be classified as highly-urbanized cities.
Under Section 453 of the LGC, it is the duty of the President to declare a city as highly-urbanized within thirty (30) days after it has met the requirements prescribed in Section 452, upon proper application.
It must submit a resolution of the Sangguniang Panlungsod adopted by a majority of all its members, approved and endorsed by the city mayor, plus certification as to population and income.
Within thirty (30) days from receipt of the resolution, the President shall, after verifying the income and population requirements, declare the city a highly-urbanized city.
Within one hundred twenty (120) days from the President’s declaration (or as specified in the declaration), COMELEC must conduct a plebiscite in the city, preceded by a comprehensive information campaign.
No. The proclamation states it takes effect only upon ratification in a plebiscite by the qualified voters in the city, as provided in Section 453 of the LGC.
A population of 633,971 inhabitants, as certified by the Administrator of the National Statistics Office based on the 2007 Census of Population with August 1, 2007 as the reference date.
The latest annual income amounted to ₱1,238,131,681.42 inclusive of Internal Revenue Allotment for the year 2010, as certified by the City Treasurer of Antipolo.
Resolution No. 2011-010 dated January 31, 2011, where the Sangguniang Panlungsod requested the President to declare Antipolo a highly-urbanized city.
It must be adopted by a majority of all its members in a meeting duly called for the purpose, and it must be approved and endorsed by the city mayor; it must also be accompanied by certifications as to income and population.
It means the ₱50,000,000 income threshold is evaluated using prices adjusted to reflect 1991 purchasing power, rather than nominal figures, following the LGC’s benchmark standard.
The President must verify that the income and population requirements under Section 452 have been met, before declaring the city highly-urbanized.
To comprehensively inform the voters in the city about the conversion and its implications; COMELEC leads the campaign with assistance from national/local officials, media, NGOs, and interested parties.
It makes the proclamation conditional; the city’s conversion to a highly-urbanized city is not final and does not take effect unless the qualified voters ratify it in the plebiscite.
The proclamation would not take effect as a conversion measure because the law requires ratification by qualified voters in a plebiscite under Section 453.