Tacloban Conversion to Highly-Urbanized City

Section 452 of the LGC of 1991 provides the population and income thresholds for a city to be classified as highly-urbanized.
Section 453 of the LGC of 1991 requires the President to declare a city highly-urbanized within thirty (30) days after the city meets Section 452 requirements, upon proper application.
The conversion procedure follows the applicable rules on city conversion to highly-urbanized status, including the required Sanggunian resolution, Presidential verification, and a COMELEC plebiscite.
The proclamation is expressly tied to compliance with Section 453 of the LGC of 1991, including the plebiscite ratification condition.

The proclamation recognizes a declared government policy to support local government initiatives that aim for fullest development as self-reliant communities and make local governments more effective partners in attaining national goals.
The proclamation frames the conversion as part of enabling local development and governance effectiveness under the LGC framework.

A city must meet the minimum population of 200,000 inhabitants, as certified by the National Statistics Office.
A city must have the latest income of at least PHP 50,000,000.00, based on 1991 constant prices, as certified by the City Treasurer.
Section 453 requires the President to declare the city highly-urbanized within thirty (30) days after the city satisfies the Section 452 requirements and after proper application.
The Presidential declaration must be verified to confirm the income and population requirements have been met.

The city must submit to the Office of the President of the Philippines a resolution of its Sanggunian adopted by a majority of all its members in a duly called meeting for this purpose.
The Sanggunian resolution must be approved and endorsed by the city mayor.
The resolution submission must be accompanied by a certification as to income and population.
After receipt of the resolution, the President must, within thirty (30) days, verify that income and population requirements have been met and then declare the city highly-urbanized.
After the Presidential declaration, COMELEC must conduct a plebiscite within one hundred twenty (120) days from the declaration, or within the period specified in the declaration.
The plebiscite must be preceded by a comprehensive information campaign conducted by COMELEC, with assistance from national and local government officials, media, NGOs, and other interested parties.

The proclamation declares the City of Tacloban as a highly-urbanized city.
The proclamation takes effect only upon ratification in a plebiscite by the qualified voters therein, consistent with Section 453 of the LGC of 1991.
The effectivity is expressly conditioned on the plebiscite outcome, meaning the city’s highly-urbanized status depends on voter ratification.
The declaration and plebiscite mechanism follow the conversion process timing: thirty (30) days for Presidential declaration after verification and one hundred twenty (120) days for COMELEC to hold the plebiscite (or the period specified in the declaration).

The Sanggunian Panlungsod of the City of Tacloban requested conversion through Resolution No. 2008-10-408, dated June 6, 2008.
The proclamation states that the City of Tacloban has met the minimum requirements prescribed under Section 452 of the LGC of 1991 for classification as a highly-urbanized city.
The proclamation’s declaration is therefore made after the City’s satisfaction of the LGC thresholds and the application process.
The conversion remains subject to the required voter ratification through a plebiscite.