Creation of Metropolitan Manila Commission

Creation and nature of Metropolitan Manila

Section 1 creates a public corporation known as the Metropolitan Manila.
Section 1 vests the corporation with powers and attributes of a corporation, including the power to make contracts and sue and be sued.
Section 1 authorizes the corporation to acquire, purchase, expropriate, hold, transfer, and dispose of property.
Section 1 provides that Metropolitan Manila is administered by a Commission created under the Decree.

Territorial jurisdiction of the Commission

Section 2 gives the Commission jurisdiction over the cities of Manila, Quezon, Pasay, and Caloocan.
Section 2 includes the municipalities of Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Navotas, Pasig, Pateros, Parañaque, Marikina, Muntinlupa, and Taguig in the province of Rizal.
Section 2 includes the municipality of Valenzuela in the province of Bulacan.
Section 2 provides that all covered areas together are henceforth known as Metropolitan Manila.

Commission composition, appointment, and tenure

Section 3 establishes the Commission as composed of a Chairman (or Governor), a Vice-Chairman (or Vice-Governor), and three Commissioners (or Board Members).
Section 3 requires the three Commissioners (or Board Members) to be: one for planning, one for finance, and one for operations.
Section 3 mandates that all members are appointed by the President and hold office at his pleasure.
Section 3 sets annual salaries: P60,000.00 for the Chairman/Governor, P50,000.00 for the Vice-Chairman/Vice-Governor, and P45,000.00 each for the three Commissioners/Board Members.
Section 3 provides that heads of departments and/or offices and subordinate personnel are appointed by the Chairman/Governor, with compensation fixed by the Commission.
Section 3 subjects all positions except highly professional and highly technical personnel to Civil Service Law rules and regulations.
Section 3 grants non-presidential appointees security of tenure, allowing removal or discipline only for cause and in accordance with Civil Service Law, rules and regulations.
Section 3 designates the Chairman/Governor as General Manager and the Vice-Chairman/Vice-Governor as Deputy General Manager.

Commission powers and planning-control roles

Section 4 authorizes the Commission to act as a central government to establish and administer programs and provide services common to the area.
Section 4 allows the Commission to levy and collect taxes and special assessments, borrow and expend money, and issue bonds, revenue certificates, and other obligations of indebtedness.
Section 4 provides that existing tax measures continue to be operative until modified or repealed by the Commission.
Section 4 empowers the Commission to charge and collect fees for the use of public service facilities.
Section 4 requires the Commission to appropriate money for metropolitan government operations and to review appropriations for city and municipal units within its jurisdiction, with authority to disapprove if not in accordance with Commission policies, without prejudice to existing contractual obligations of local government units existing at the time of approval.
Section 4 grants the Commission authority to review, amend, revise, or repeal all ordinances, resolutions, and acts of cities and municipalities within Metropolitan Manila.
Section 4 authorizes the Commission to enact or approve ordinances and resolutions and to fix penalties for violations not exceeding a fine of P10,000.00 or imprisonment of six years, or both, for a single offense.
Section 4 directs the Commission to perform general administrative, executive, and policy-making functions and to establish operational centers for fire control, garbage disposal, and transport and traffic.
Section 4 requires coordination and monitoring of essential services including transportation, flood control and drainage, water supply and sewerage, social, health and environmental services, housing, and park development, and other similar services.
Section 4 requires the Commission to ensure and monitor comprehensive social, economic, and physical planning and development for the area.
Section 4 tasks the Commission to study feasibility of increasing barangay participation and to propose definite programs and policies to the President for implementation.
Section 4 obligates the Commission to submit an annual report to the President within thirty (30) days after the close of each fiscal year, and to submit periodic reports whenever deemed necessary.
Section 4 authorizes the Commission to perform other tasks assigned or directed by the President.

Functions of senior Commission officials

Section 5 requires the General Manager to execute Commission-approved policies and measures and be responsible for efficient management.
Section 5 requires the General Manager to submit policies and measures to the Commission for consideration when necessary to carry out the Decree.
Section 5 provides that, subject to Commission guidelines and policies, the General Manager prepares the staffing pattern and appoints and fixes the number and compensation of subordinate officials and employees.
Section 5 authorizes the General Manager to suspend or discipline subordinates for cause, and allows removal for cause only with the approval of the Commission.
Section 5 requires an annual report on Commission activities at the close of each fiscal year to be submitted to the President.
Section 5 requires the General Manager to submit an annual budget for Commission operations for approval.
Section 5 authorizes the General Manager to perform other duties assigned by the Commission.
Section 6 requires the Commissioner for Planning to formulate and submit long-range plans for integration of common, essential, municipal, and public services.
Section 6 requires the Commissioner for Planning to translate policy directives into detailed operational plans and programs.
Section 6 requires research, investigation, and related activities on planning policy areas, with comprehensive reports and recommendations to the General Manager.
Section 7 requires the Commissioner for Finance to determine financial requirements and sources of funds for integrated services.
Section 7 requires continuous and detailed financial analysis of the integration of common, essential, municipal, and public services.
Section 8 requires the Commissioner for Operations to maintain a monitoring system for execution and compliance with approved policies and plans.
Section 8 requires the monitoring system to support qualitative and quantitative performance evaluation, including time schedule and costs.

Local governments during transition; Sangguniang Bayan

Section 9 provides that, until otherwise provided, the governments of the four cities and thirteen municipalities in Metropolitan Manila continue in their present form, except where inconsistent with the Decree.
Section 9 provides that existing city and municipal councils become members of the Sangguniang Bayan for each city and municipality of Metropolitan Manila upon promulgation of the Decree and until December 31, 1975.
Section 9 provides that the Sangguniang Bayan is composed of as many barangay captains as determined and chosen by the Commission, plus representatives from other sectors of society appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Commission.
Section 9 provides that members of the Sangguniang Bayan do not collect regular salaries or compensation except per diems and reasonable allowances on reimbursement basis, in amounts fixed by the Commission.
Section 9 authorizes the Sangguniang Bayan to recommend ordinances, resolutions, or measures to the Commission.
Section 9 provides that no ordinance, resolution, or measure of the Sangguniang Bayan becomes effective until after approval by the Commission.
Section 9 vests exclusively in the Commission: the power to impose taxes and other levies, the power to appropriate money, and the power to pass ordinances or resolutions with penal sanctions.

Local chief executives’ integration role

Section 10 requires local chief executives to implement integration of common, essential, municipal, and public services approved by the Commission for their respective local government units.
Section 10 requires local chief executives to furnish the Commission information it may require and to assist in carrying out integration.
Section 10 authorizes local chief executives to perform other functions as the Commission directs.

Treasurers’ account closing and transfer of functions

Section 11 requires all city or municipal treasurers of local government units placed under the Commission to close their books of accounts for submission to the Commission not later than December 15, 1975.
Section 11 provides that thereafter, treasurers’ functions and responsibilities are performed or discharged by the Commissioner for Finance.

Funding and appropriations for operations

Section 12 appropriates P2,500,000.00 out of any funds in the National Treasury for operation of the Commission.
Section 12 provides that the Commission’s financial resources include proceeds of franchise taxes allocated to local government units in the metropolitan area.
Section 12 provides that the Commission’s resources include proceeds of the fixed or privilege tax on occupation accruing to local government units in the metropolitan area.
Section 12 provides that the Commission’s resources include proceeds of the corporate residence tax accruing to local government units in the metropolitan area.
Section 12 authorizes the President to authorize other sources of funds to meet the needs of the Metropolitan Manila Commission.
Section 12 provides that thereafter, necessary funds for the Commission’s operation are included in the General Appropriations Decree.

Direct Presidential control over the Commission

Section 13 places the Commission, the General Manager, and any official of the Commission under the direct supervision and control of the President.
Section 13 authorizes the President to revoke, amend, or modify any ordinance, resolution, or act of the Commission, the General Manager, and the Commissioners.

Special report requirement

Section 14 requires the Commission to submit a special report with appropriate recommendations as the President may require.
Section 14 ties the special report to assessing and determining the efficacy of integrating governmental functions and services for a more responsive and effective government for Metropolitan Manila.

Repeal and immediate effect

Section 15 repeals or modifies all laws or parts of laws and all executive orders or regulations inconsistent with the Decree.
Section 16 provides for immediate effect for the Decree, except as otherwise indicated in its provisions.