Presidential Authority to Declare Highly-Urbanized City
- The President of the Philippines has the duty to declare a city as highly-urbanized within 30 days after the city meets the prescribed requirements.
- This declaration follows the city's proper application, as stated in Section 453 of the LGC.
Procedural Requirements for Conversion to Highly-Urbanized City
Resolution by City Sanggunian
- The city Sanggunian must adopt a resolution by majority vote in a duly called meeting.
- The resolution must be approved and endorsed by the city mayor.
- It should include certifications of the city’s income and population.
Presidential Declaration
- The President shall verify the income and population data upon receipt of the resolution.
- Declaration of conversion must be made within 30 days after verification.
Mandatory Plebiscite
- Within 120 days of the presidential declaration, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) must conduct a plebiscite in the city.
- The plebiscite is preceded by a comprehensive information campaign involving national and local government officials, media, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
Specific Application to City of Cabanatuan
- The Sangguniang Panglungsod of Cabanatuan passed Resolution No. 183-2011 on July 11, 2011, requesting the President to declare the city highly-urbanized.
- The city has met the income and population requirements under Section 452 of the LGC.
Government Policy on Local Government Development
- The government supports local initiatives aimed at achieving self-reliance and effective partnership in national development goals.
Conditional Effectivity of the Proclamation
- The proclamation declaring Cabanatuan as a highly-urbanized city takes effect only after ratification by a plebiscite among qualified voters.
- This condition is in line with Section 453 of the LGC.
Formal Proclamation
- President Benigno S. Aquino III issued the proclamation on July 4, 2012.
- The proclamation is officially sealed and authorized by the Executive Secretary.
This structured procedure ensures that the classification of a city as highly-urbanized is based on clear legal standards, proper governmental processes, public participation, and democratic validation.