Presidential Decree No. 840 (PD 840) — Reorganizing the Political Subdivision of the Province of Basilan, Converting Basilan City into the Municipality of Isabela, Appropriating Funds Therefore, and for Other Purposes.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
