WHEREAS, Section 1 of Republic Act No. 5777, entitled "An
Act Creating the Municipality of Tomas Oppus in the Province of Southern Leyte,"
provides that the seat of government thereof shall be in the present site of the
barrio of San Isidro;
WHEREAS, the Municipality of Tomas Oppus was formally
organized on January 1, 1972, upon the election and qualification of the newly
elected municipal officials thereof;
WHEREAS, in view of the non-existence of facilities in
Barrio San Isidro to house the different offices of the municipal government of
Tomas Oppus and to prevent impairment of essential public services therein, the
President authorized the municipal council to occupy temporarily a building in
Barrio Banday, said municipality, until such time as a suitable one is available
in Barrio San Isidro;
WHEREAS, to date municipal offices of Tomas Oppus are still
being held in Barrio Banday due to non-existence of facilities in Barrio San
Isidro to house the same;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 134, dated
February 21, 1973, the majority of the members of the Citizens' Assemblies of
the Municipality of Tomas Oppus petitioned the Department of Local Government
and Community Development for the holding of a referendum for the purpose of
transferring the seat of municipal government from Barrio San Isidro to Barrio
Banday on the ground that from the time the Municipality of Tomas Oppus came
into existence the municipal offices thereof have always been in Barrio Banday;
and
WHEREAS, in the referendum conducted by the Department of
Local Government and Community Development on May 26, 1973, pursuant to said
Presidential Decree No. 134, the overwhelming majority of the members of the
Citizens' Assemblies of the Municipality of Tomas Oppus voted for the transfer
of the seat of the municipal government from Barrio San Isidro to Barrio
Banday;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as
Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant to
Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order No. 1, dated
September 22, 1972, do hereby amend Section 1 of Republic Act No. 5777 to read
as follows:
"SECTION 1. That barrios of San Isidro, Punong, Hinapo,
Rizal, Maslog, Banday, Cambite, Cabascan, Cawayan, Anahawan, Carnaga, Maanyag,
Tinago and Salvacion in the Municipality of Malitbog, Province of Southern
Leyte, are separated from said municipality and created into a distinct and
independent municipality to be known as the Municipality of Tomas Oppus. The
seat of government of the new municipality shall be in Barrio Banday."
Any provision of existing law, rules and regulations in conflict with this
Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
This Decree is hereby made part of the law of the land and shall take effect
immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 25th day of June, in the year of Our Lord,
nineteen hundred and seventy-three.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) ROBERTO V. REYES
Assistant Executive Secretary