Republic Act No. 6766/Article XXI

by Congress of the Philippines

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Article XXI

TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Section 1. The first regular election for the Cordillera Governor, the Cordillera Deputy Governor and the Members of the Cordillera Assembly shall be held on the second Monday of February, 1990. Their terms of office shall begin at noon on the thirty-first day of March next following their election and shall end at noon of the same date three (3) years thereafter. The expenses for the conduct of the election shall be charged against the Contingent Fund; any deficiency shall be taken from the savings of the National Government.

Sec. 2. (A) For purposes of the first election of representatives to the Cordillera Assembly under this Organic Act, each province and city shall be divided into four (4) regional assembly districts as follows:

(a) Province of Benguet—First District: La Trinidad, Tublay and Sablan; Second District: Itogon, Bokod and Tuba; Third District: Kapangan, Atok, Kibungan and Bakun; Fourth District: Mankayan, Buguias and Kabayan

(b) Province of Ifugao—First District: Mayoyao, Aguinaldo and Alfonso Lista; Second District: Hungduan and Tinoc; Third District: Banaue, Hingyon and Lagawe; Fourth District: Kiangan and Lamut

(c) Province of Abra—First District: Bangued, Tayum, La Paz, Danglas, and Lagayan; Second District: Bucay, Penarrubia, Manabo, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Daguioman, and Boliney; Third District: Pidigan, San Quintin, Langiden, San Isidro, Villaviciosa, Pilar, Luba, and Tubo; Fourth District: Tineg, Malibcong, Lacub, Licuan-Baay, Lagangilang, Dolores and San Juan

(d) Mountain Province—First District: Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis; Second District: Bontoc, Sadanga and Sagada; Third District: Bauko and Sabangan; Fourth District: Besao and Tadian

(e) Province of Kalinga-Apayao—First District: Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Pinukpuk and Tinglayan; Second District: Tabuk, Tanudan and Rizal; Third District: Kabugao, Conner and Kalanasan; Fourth District: Flora, Luna, Pudtol and Santa Marcela

(f) City of Baguio—First District: Pucsusan, Mines View, Gibraltar, St. Joseph, Pacdal, Cabinet Hill-Teachers Camp, Marcoville, Engineer's Hill, DPS Compound, Greenwater Village, Sta. Scholastica, Hillside, Upper Dagsian, Lower Dagsian, Gabriela Silang, Country Club, Outlook Drive, Lucnab, Lualhati, South Drive, Happy Hallow, Atok Trail, Kias, PMA–Fort Del Pilar, Loakan-Liwanag, Loakan Apugan, Loakan Proper, Scout Barrio, Camp 7, Camp 8, Poliwes and Military Cut-off; Second District: Burnham-Legarda, BGII Compound, Phil-Am, Imelda, Balsigan, Sto. Rosario, Ferdinand (Campo Sioco), City Camp Proper, City Camp Central, Upper Q.M., Upper Rock Quarry, Emilio F. Aguinaldo, Lower Rock Quarry, Middle Rock Quarry, Palma-Urbano, MRR–Queen of Peace, Kayang Extension, Harrison-Claudio, San Vicente, Bakakeng Norte, Bakakeng Central, Sto. Tomas Proper, Dontogan, Sto. Tomas School Area, SLU–SVP, Lourdes Subdivision, Lower Lourdes, Lourdes Subdivision Extension, Dominican-Mirador, San Roque, San Luis Village, Asin Road, Rizal Monument and AZCKO; Third District: Fairview, Campo Filipino, Camp Allen, Upper City Market, Andres Bonifacio, P. Burgos, Cresencia Village, Central Guisad, Guisad Surong, Pinsao Pilot Project, Lower Magsaysay, Padre Zamora, Dizon Subdivision, Camdas, Lower Quirino Hill, Middle Quirino Hill, East Quirino Hill, West Quirino Hill, Pinget, Middle Quezon Hill, Quezon Hill Proper, Upper Quezon Hill, Victoria Village, Irisan, Pinsao Proper, Kayang-Hilltop and Upper Magsaysay; Fourth District: Slaughter Compound, Happy-Homes Lucban, South Central Aurora Hill, North Central Aurora Hill, East Bayan Park, Bayan Park Village, West Bayan Park, San Antonio Village, Ambiong, Kabayanihan, Session Road, Malcolm Square, Lower General Luna, Salud Mitra, Upper General Luna, North Sanitary Camp, South Sanitary Camp, A. Tabora, Trancoville, New Lucban, Magsaysay Private Road, ABCR Barangay, T. Alonso, Kagitingan, Bagong Lipunan, Brookspoint, West Modern Site, East Modern Site, Aurora Hill Proper, Holy Ghost Extension, Brookside, Imelda Village, Holy Ghost-Honeymoon, Holy Ghost Proper, M. Roxas and Lopez Jaena.

(B) Each regional assembly district shall elect one (1) representative to the Cordillera Assembly. Thereafter, the Cordillera Assembly shall reapportion the regional assembly districts in each province or city, taking into account population, geography and ethnolinguistic characteristics, subject to the maximum number of Assemblymen provided for in Section 4, Article V of this Act.

Sec. 3. The Cordillera Executive Board, the Cordillera Regional Assembly, as well as all offices and agencies created under Executive Order No. 220 shall cease to exist immediately upon the ratification of this Organic Act.

All funds, properties and assets of the Cordillera Executive Board and the Cordillera Regional Assembly shall automatically be transferred to the Cordillera Autonomous Government.

Sec. 4. Until otherwise decided by regional law, the provisional seat of the Cordillera Autonomous Government shall be at the City of Baguio: Provided, That the Cordillera Assembly shall hold its sessions at the Baguio Convention Center: Provided, further, That the Cordillera Governor and other executive officials shall, in coordination with the National Government hold office in any available national executive buildings within the City of Baguio.

Sec. 5. Civil service employees shall not be laid off, dismissed or removed as a result of any reorganization attendant to the establishment of the Cordillera Autonomous Region, except for cause. Their current salaries and benefits shall not be diminished nor be lower than that of their counterparts in the National Government.

Sec. 6. Within one (1) month from the organization of the Regional Government, an Oversight Committee composed of the Executive Secretary as chairman, the Secretary of Budget and Management, the Cordillera Governor, the Speaker of the Cordillera Assembly, two (2) Senators to be designated by the Senate President and two (2) Representatives to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as members, shall be organized for the purpose of supervising the transfer to the Autonomous Region of such powers and functions vested in it by this Organic Act and the appropriations of the offices or agencies including the transfer of properties, assets and liabilities, and such personnel as may be necessary; and of identifying the other line agencies and government-owned or controlled corporations that may be absorbed by the Regional Government and, with respect to the latter, also the terms and conditions of their turnover.

Within six (6) months after its organization, the Oversight Committee shall submit its report and recommendations to the President of the Philippines who shall act on the report and recommendations within ninety (90) days after receipt thereof: Provided, however, That if the President fails to act within said period, the recommendations of the Oversight Committee shall be deemed approved.

Sec. 7. Upon the organization of the Autonomous Region, the line agencies and offices of the National Government dealing with local government, social welfare, science and technology, labor, natural resources and tourism, including their personnel, equipment, properties and budgets, shall be immediately placed under the control and supervision of the Regional Government.

Other National Government offices and agencies in the Autonomous Region which are not excluded under item (i), Section 3(B), Article III, of this Organic Act, together with their personnel, equipment, properties and budgets, shall be placed under the control and supervision of the Regional Government pursuant to a schedule prescribed by the Oversight Committee mentioned in Section 6 of this Article: Provided, That the transfer of these offices and agencies and their personnel, equipment, properties and budgets shall be accomplished within six (6) years from the organization of the Regional Government.

The National Government shall continue such levels of expenditures as may be necessary to carry out the functions devolved under this Act: Provided, however, That the annual budgetary support shall, as soon as practicable, terminate as to the line agencies or offices devolved to the Regional Government.

Sec. 8. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding sections, the Government Service Insurance System, the Social Security System, the Pagtutulungan-Ikaw, Bangko, Industriya't Gobyerno (PAG-IBIG) and other funds of similar trust or fiduciary nature shall be exempt from the coverage of this Organic Act.

Sec. 9. The National Government shall, in addition to its annual allotments to the Autonomous Region, provide the Regional Government One billion five hundred million pesos (₱1,500,000,000.00) as annual assistance for five (5) years, to fund infrastructure projects duly identified, endorsed and approved by the Regional Planning and Development Board herein created: Provided, however, That the annual assistance herein mentioned shall be appropriated and disbursed through a Public Works Act duly enacted by the Cordillera Assembly: Provided, further, That this annual assistance may be adjusted proportionately in accordance with the number of provinces and cities joining the Autonomous Region: and Provided, finally, That the national programs and projects in the Autonomous Region shall continue to be financed out of national funds.

Sec. 10. All commercial logging operations in the region are hereby suspended for twenty-five (25) years after the effectivity of this Organic Act: Provided, however, That no new permits, licenses or concessions of whatever kind for whatever purpose, whether regular or special, temporary or permanent, shall be issued within such period.

Sec. 11. The Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) may suspend the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) with respect to ancestral lands in the Cordilleras for the purpose of identifying and delineating such lands: Provided, That in the Cordillera Autonomous Region, the Cordillera Assembly may enact its own law on ancestral domain subject to the provisions of the Constitution and the principles enunciated in this Act and other national laws.

Sec. 12. (A) Within one (1) year from its organization, the Cordillera Assembly shall create a Cordillera Commission on Customary Laws which shall have the following functions:

(a) Assist the Cordillera Assembly in the codification of indigenous laws on personal, family, tribal and property relations, ancestral lands, land use and land tenure;

(b) Identify, classify, and demarcate ancestral lands owned by specific indigenous communities, families or clans; and

Perform such other functions as may be provided by regional law.

(B) The Cordillera Commission on Customary Laws shall, within five (5) years from its establishment, submit its final report to the Cordillera Assembly which shall enact a law to be known as the Cordillera Code of Customary Laws.

(C) The composition, qualifications, manner of appointment, compensation and term of office of the members of the Commission shall be determined by regional law.

Sec. 13. (A) The creation of the Cordillera Autonomous Region shall take effect when approved by a majority of the votes cast by the constituent units provided in Section 2(B), Article I of this Act in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than sixty (60) days or later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the approval of this Act: Provided, That only the provinces and city voting favorably in such plebiscite shall be included in the Cordillera Autonomous Region. The provinces and city which do not vote for inclusion in the Autonomous Region shall remain in the existing administrative regions: Provided, however, That the President may, by administrative determination, merge existing regions.

(B) The sum of Twenty-five million pesos (₱25,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated as follows:

(a) Five million pesos (₱5,000,000.00) to be allotted to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for the conduct of an information campaign on this Organic Act;

(b) Ten million pesos (₱10,000,000.00) to be allotted to the COMELEC for the holding of the plebiscite as provided herein; and

(c) Ten million pesos (₱10,000,000.00) to be allotted to the Regional Government for its initial organizational requirements.

The amount of Twenty-five million pesos (₱25,000,000.00) as herein appropriated shall be charged against the Contingent Fund; any deficiency thereof shall be taken from the savings of the National Government.

(C) The COMELEC shall determine the manner of campaigning and the deputization of government agencies and non-government organizations for purposes of conducting an impartial information campaign and the requisite plebiscite.

Sec. 14. Any provision or part of this Organic Act found to be invalid or unconstitutional shall not invalidate the provisions or parts thereof not affected thereby.

Sec. 15. All laws inconsistent with this Organic Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.