Legal basis and amended law
- Republic Act No. 9859 amends Section 1 of Republic Act No. 6769.
- The amendment revises Section 1 of Republic Act No. 6769, which concerns the territorial coverage and boundaries of the Municipality of San Jose in the Province of Dinagat Islands.
- Republic Act No. 9859 does not provide any repealing or sunset clause.
Policy and governing structure
- Republic Act No. 9859 keeps the remaining portion of the Municipality of Dinagat (Province of Dinagat Islands) as a municipality with powers and functions over specified areas.
- Republic Act No. 9859 creates a separate and independent Municipality of San Jose from enumerated barangays segregated from the existing municipality.
- Republic Act No. 9859 establishes the Municipality of San Jose’s governing territorial framework by defining its boundaries and approximate land area.
Scope: barangay segregation and new municipality
- Dinagat shall remain a municipality exercising powers and discharging functions over the areas specified in Republic Act No. 6769, except certain barangays.
- Barangays San Jose, Matingbe, Jacques, Aurelio, Mahayahay, San Juan, Don Ruben Ecleo, Justiniana Edera, Sta. Cruz, Cuarenta, Wison and Luna are segregated from Dinagat to constitute a separate and independent Municipality of San Jose.
- The new Municipality of San Jose remains within the Province of Dinagat Islands.
- The segregation is implemented by amending Section 1 to redefine what areas remain with Dinagat and to define the new municipality’s boundaries.
Substantive territorial rules
- The amended Section 1 states that Dinagat in the Province of Dinagat Islands shall remain a municipality for its retained areas, while the enumerated barangays are transferred for the creation of a distinct municipality.
- The Municipality of San Jose is bounded using a coordinate-and-distance boundary description.
- The boundary begins at point 1 (N Latitude 09A 59' 33", E Longitude 125A 33' 28").
- The boundary proceeds by following coastal and directional segments and concludes by specifying “point 1” including Puyo Island, subject to the stated area approximation.
Boundary coordinates and distances
- From point 1, the boundary follows the shoreline of Melgar Bay in the northern direction to Mahangin Point.
- From Mahangin Point, the boundary follows the shoreline along Tagbabui Cove in the southeasterly direction to point 2 (N Latitude 10A 20' 10.8", E Longitude 125deg 35' 56").
- The boundary then goes southeast, covering 2,780.00 meters, to point 3 (N Latitude 10A 01' 53.20", E Longitude 125A 37' 30.70").
- The boundary then goes due East, covering 1,365.00 meters, to point 4 (N Latitude 10A 01' 53.20", E Longitude 125A 38' 15.66").
- The boundary then goes due South, covering 4,265.00 meters, to point 5 (N Latitude 09A 59' 33", E Longitude 125A 38' 15.66").
- The boundary then goes due West, covering 8,600.00 meters, to point 1, including Puyo Island.
Approximate area covered
- Republic Act No. 9859 provides that the area covered by the Municipality of San Jose is approximately 3,422 hectares.
Approval, passage, and transmittal references
- The Act states it originated in the House of Representatives and was finally passed by the House on May 25, 2009 and by the Senate on October 12, 2009.
- The law bears signatures of Juan Ponce Enrile (President of Senate) and Prospero C. Nograles (Speaker of the House of Representatives), with respective secretarial signatures.
- The President approves the Act on December 20, 2009.