Republic Act No. 9054/Article II

by Congress of the Philippines

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Article II

THE AUTONOMOUS REGION
Area and Seat of Government

Section 1. Expanded Autonomous Region.—(1) The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which, under the provisions of Republic Act No. 6734, the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, is composed of the four provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, is hereby expanded to include the provinces and cities, enumerated hereunder, which vote favorably to be included in the expanded area of the autonomous region and for other purposes, in a plebiscite called for that purpose in accordance with Section 18, Article X of the Constitution.

The new area of autonomy shall then be determined by the provinces and cities that will vote/choose to join the said autonomy. It is understood that Congress may by law which shall be consistent with the Constitution and in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160, the Local Government Code of 1991, provide that clusters of contiguous-Muslim-dominated municipalities voting in favor of autonomy be merged and constituted into a new province(s) which shall become part of the new Autonomous Region.

(2) Plebiscite Coverage.—The plebiscite shall be conducted in the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Palawan, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and the newly created Province of Zamboanga Sibugay, and (b) in the cities of Cotabato, Dapitan, Dipolog, General Santos, Iligan, Kidapawan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Digos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Zamboanga.

(a) PLEBISCITE QUESTION FOR VOTERS OF THE FOUR ORIGINAL PROVINCES OF THE AUTONOMOUS REGION. For the voters of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi which are already members of the autonomous region under the provisions of Republic Act No. 6734, the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the question to be asked in the plebiscite of the voters therein shall be as follows: Do you vote in favor of the amendments to Republic Act No. 6734, the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, as proposed under this Organic Act, which includes, among other things, the expansion of the area of the autonomous region?

(b) PLEBISCITE QUESTION FOR THE VOTERS OF THE PROVINCES AND CITIES PROPOSED FOR INCLUSION IN THE EXPANDED AUTONOMOUS REGION. For the voters of the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Palawan, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and the newly created Province of Zamboanga Sibugay, and the cities of Cotabato, Dapitan, Dipolog, Digos, Koronadal, Tacurong, General Santos, Iligan, Kidapawan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, and Zamboanga, which compose the provinces and cities that are proposed for inclusion in the expanded area of the autonomous region, the question to be asked in the plebiscite of the voters therein shall be as follows: Do you vote in favor of the inclusion of your province or city in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao?

Sec. 2. Results of the Plebiscite.—(a) In the four provinces. If the majority of the voters of the four provinces of Lanao del Sur Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi vote in favor of the above-mentioned proposed amendments, the amendments are deemed ratified. Otherwise, the amendments are deemed rejected except as regards the inclusion of the provinces and cities that vote for their inclusion in the autonomous region as provided in this Organic Act, in which case, the said provinces and cities shall become members of the autonomous region.

(b) In the provinces or cities proposed for inclusion in the expanded area of the autonomous region. A majority of the votes cast in the plebiscite in every province or city in favor of the inclusion of the province or city as members of the expanded area of the autonomous region as provided in this Organic Act shall effect their membership in the autonomous region.

Sec. 3. Seat of Autonomous Government.—The regional legislative assembly, hereinafter referred to as the Regional Assembly, shall by law, fix the permanent seat of government of the regional government in any province or city that is a member of the autonomous region, taking into consideration accessibility and efficiency in which its mandate may be carried out under this Organic Act.

Until the seat of the regional government is transferred as provided above, its provisional seat shall be in Cotabato City. The Regional Assembly elected after the plebiscite mentioned in this Organic Act, shall, within its term, identify the site of the permanent seat of the regional government. The central government which shall also mean the national government shall appropriate funds for the transfer of the provisional seat to its permanent site as determined by the Regional Assembly.