Municipal corporations.
Section 37
SEC. 37. Municipal corporations.—The provincial board of any province established under this Act may by resolution, approved by the department governor, organize any territory within the province as a municipality in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (a) Municipalities excepted.—Municipalities established within the Department of Mindanao and Sulu previous to the passage of this Act are continued and recognized as corporations unless otherwise reorganized in accordance with the provisions of this Act. (b) Names and corporate powers.—Municipalities organized hereunder shall be known by the names heretofore adopted, unless otherwise specifically stated in the resolution of the provincial board approved by the department governor. Under such names they may sue and be sued, contract and be contracted with, acquire and hold real and personal property for the general interests of the municipality, and exercise all the powers hereinafter conferred upon them. (c) Division into barrios.—Each municipality shall be divided into barrios. For the purpose of the first elections, existing barrios shall be recognized, unless expressly readjusted by resolution of the provincial board creating the municipality, which resolution shall fix the capital thereof, classification. (d) Classification.—Municipalities of the first class shall be those which contain not less than twenty-five thousand inhabitants: Provided, however, That a municipality which is also the seat of a provincial government shall be considered as a first-class municipality regardless of the number of its inhabitants; of the second class, those containing eighteen thousand and less than twenty-five thousand inhabitants ; of the third class, those containing ten thousand and less than eighteen thousand inhabitants; of the fourth class, those containing less than ten thousand inhabitants. (e) Department governor determines classification.—In case of controversy the department governor shall determine to which class a municipality shall belong.