REORGANIZING THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE PROVINCE OF BASILAN, CONVERTING BASILAN CITY INTO THE MUNICIPALITY OF ISABELA, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 840
• Sections: 8

Preamble

WHEREAS, the Province of Basilan is at present subdivided

into political units of a size and number not complementary to the size

of the area;

WHEREAS, in order to render the territorial partition of the

Province of Basilan, under Presidential Decrees No. 356 and No. 593,

more responsive to the pacification, rehabilitation and total

development program for the area;

WHEREAS, in order to effect a more viable political status

for the Province of Basilan, a new subdivision of the province is

consequently in order;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the

Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution do

hereby order and decree as follows:

Section 1

SECTION 1. The City of Basilan is abolished and the province

of Basilan is the territory embracing the whole island of Basilan and

the adjacent islands, with the capital seat in the municipality of

Isabela.

The province shall be comprised of seven (7) municipalities hereby

organized as follows:

The municipality of Isabela shall comprise the areas covered

by the former City of Basilan, and the former municipalities of Isabela

and Malamawi;

The municipality of Lantawan shall comprise the areas covered

by the municipality of Lantawan and the former municipality of Pilas;

The municipality of Sumisip shall comprise the areas

covered by the municipality of Sumisip and the former municipality

of Tapiantana;

The municipality of Maluso;

The municipality of Tipo-Tipo;

The municipality of Lamitan;

The municipality of Tuburan.

Section 2

SEC. 2. Except as hereinafter provided, all provisions of

law now or hereafter applicable to regular provinces shall be applicable

to the province of Basilan.

Section 3

SEC. 3. The Regional Commissioner of Region IX is hereby

authorized to reappoint, redesignate or reassign employees of the

provincial and municipal governments and to recommend to the President

of the Philippines the reappointment, redesignation or reassignment of

incumbent elective officials such that the governmental framework in the

province remains unimpaired and effective. Such employees and officials

reappointed, redesignated or reassigned shall hold office until their

successors shall have been appointed or elected in accordance with the

law, unless sooner removed for cause by the Regional Commissioner in the

case of employees of the provincial and municipal governments, or by

the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Regional

Commissioner in the case of elective officials.

Section 4

SEC. 4. Employees of the National Government assigned in

the Province of Basilan shall be reappointed, re-designated or

reassigned in accordance with the provisions of appropriate law.

Section 5

SEC. 5. The amount of one million seven hundred twenty

thousand pesos (P1,720,000.00) is hereby authorized to be appropriated

from funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

Section 6

SEC. 6. The Regional Commissioner is hereby authorized

to reallocate or reassign the use of existing properties, buildings,

equipment and other effects of the provincial and municipal governments

to the different municipalities until such time as the formal turnover

of these properties to the pertinent political subdivisions is finalized

in accordance with applicable administrative rules or regulations

therefor.

Section 7

SEC. 7. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 11th day of December, in the

year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.

(Sgd.)

FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President

Republic of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.)

JACOBO C. CLAVE

Presidential Executive Assistant