Creation of Province of Basilan

The State’s policy is to create every possible opportunity and enlarge every means to quicken the pace of progress across the country.
The policy gives particular stress to areas whose economic development has lagged behind.
Basilan (like the islands in the Tawi-Tawi group) is treated as having suffered from virtual geographic isolation.
The Decree declares that faster development in the area can best be achieved by creating a local government that can provide faster administrative response and better appreciation of the area’s peculiar needs.
The creation of the local government is intended to redound to economic, social, and political progress of Basilan’s people.

Section 1 constitutes a new province to be known as the Province of Basilan.
The Province consists of the whole island of Basilan and adjacent islands.
The Province includes the remaining barrios and sitios of the former Municipality of Isabela.
Lamitan and Maluso are created into regular municipalities within the newly created Province of Basilan.
Section 1 excludes from the Province the territory consisting of the town proper or poblacion of the former Municipality of Isabela.
The excluded poblacion territory is designated as the City of Basilan.

Section 2 sets the capital of the Province of Basilan as the Municipality of Isabela.
Section 3 provides that all provisions of law now or hereafter applicable to regular provinces are applicable to the Province of Basilan, except as otherwise provided in the Decree.

Section 4 provides that the present elective officials of the Province of Zamboanga del Sur shall perform their duties as such officials in the newly created Province of Basilan until the officials of Basilan are duly appointed by the President.
Officials appointed under Section 4 hold office until their successors shall have been elected in the election for provincial and municipal officials following the issuance of the Decree.
Appointed officials must qualify and may be removed sooner at the pleasure of the President.
Section 4 requires that other appointive officials and employees necessary to organize or complete the government personnel of the Province shall be appointed as provided by law.

Section 5 provides that the Province of Basilan remains part of the present representative district of Zamboanga del Sur.
This representative-district continuity lasts until a law is passed reapportioning representative districts.
The reapportionment is required pursuant to Section 2, Article VIII of the Constitution.

Section 6 directs that upon the effectivity of the Decree, the President shall transfer Basilan’s proportionate share in the obligations, funds, deposits, and other properties of the City of Basilan to the Province of Basilan.
The transfer under Section 6 is made upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Commission on Audit.