Republic of the Philippines

PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Puerto Princesa City

College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology

Proposed Municipal Government Center:

Research Work

2019 - 1 - 0077

BSAR 3A

November 3, 2022
 INTRODUCTION

Local Government Centers or Facilities are a vital part of the local government body such as Local

Government Unit (LGU) , Municipal Government, and Municipal Departments. This is where the function

of the local authorities are conducted, exercised and local services are provided. The purpose of the local

government is to provide an organized system where councils exercise their power and responsibilities to

work together for the betterment of their community. As part of their duties, counselors are expected to

work toward improving social, economic, and environmentally viability and sustainability for the benefit

of the district or municipalities. Effective local governments provide overall quality of life for the people

who reside in their communities. A functioning local government center is a sign of a legitimate

government, and that government is recognized by the local populace, LGUs mandate is to provide basic

local services such as Welfare, Social Programs, Policing, Fire Protection and Legislative process. LGUs

derive their legitimacy and power through the support of the National Government through tax money

which is collected by the local government every year. The services of local government are provided

through the government centers of facilities such as Town halls, Municipal Halls, Barangay Halls, Local

Health Centers, etc. This services is paramount to the local community thus government centers are

crucial for a functioning local community that benefits its citizens.

Executive Buildings or Municipal Halls house the local government unit offices crucial for

performing government functions and services which are headed by the office of the Municipal Mayor,

which is the one who exercises administrative roles in municipal affairs. Supporting the Mayor’s office

are departments, agencies and local offices that are mandated to accomplish the services and policies

set by the local government for the development of the district or municipality and its people's

standards of living. The Executive building must accommodate multiple offices for independently elected
officials and local departments offices for officials in charge and their employees. The facilities require

adequate accessibility, security, privacy, and must be efficient in accommodating its users.

Local government facilities are built with tax money and are highly visible projects. Public

interaction and traffic is expected. In a project like this, the design process must be followed through for

thorough evaluation of solutions for the comfort and convenience of all of its internal users and the

public.

GOVERNMENT CENTER: ARTICLES & JOURNALS

November 2005

“The Importance of Government Facilities in Downtowns”

Government offices have traditionally been built in the center of cities and towns. It made sense

to build city or county offices in a location that was easy to travel to, near homes of the employees, and

near supporting and complementing retail and services. However, given the change in shopping habits,

dependence on the automobile, increased dependence on computers and the internet, and the rising

cost of land in the city center, some argue that there are fewer reasons to keep government offices

downtown.

Public Buildings and Downtown

Public buildings are important both socially and economically to a downtown area. Municipal

office buildings, courthouses, libraries and post offices are essential components of healthy downtowns.

These facilities draw many employees and users of public services who are likely to spend money at
downtown businesses. Government workers who come each day to a downtown public building will

spend between $2,500 and $3,500 annually, according to Place Economics, a Washington, D.C.-based

consulting firm. Federal, state and local government leaders are beginning to recognize the important

role they play in downtown revitalization efforts. Federal agencies are now required to consider

downtown areas first when looking for new space. They are strongly encouraged to locate there unless

there are compelling reasons to the contrary. State agencies also attract and generate significant

economic activity, and several states have established policies directing state agencies to locate

downtown whenever possible. Relatively few local governments have enacted similar policies, but are

beginning to recognize their importance to downtown.

Comparable Community Analysis

A study was conducted in Summer 2005 by the University of Wisconsin – Extension Center for

Community and Economic Development in order to determine if communities with a county seat have a

greater number of businesses in their downtowns than comparably sized communities without county

seats. In this analysis, comparable communities were identified as those places in Wisconsin with a

municipal population of 3,500 to 12,000, that are located within a specified distance from a city with a

population of 25,000 or greater and are located within a specified distance to a major discount

department store (when possible). This comparison included twenty cities with county offices downtown

and twenty cities with no county government offices downtown. After the cities were selected a 1-mile

diameter ring was drawn around the center of each downtown area, and all of the businesses that fell

within the ring were selected. From this data, the mix and number of businesses were analyzed.

Retail - For retail business, county seats had more businesses than non-seats (825 vs. 764

respectively, or 7.4% more). This was the case for destination businesses including appliance, TV and
electronics stores, department stores and record stores. Visitor oriented businesses, such as gift shops,

novelty stores and souvenir stores also had higher counts in county seats, as did pharmacies/drug stores.

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services - Communities with county offices had more

professional, scientific and technical service businesses compared to communities with few or no

government offices (455 vs. 341 respectively or 25% more). As might be expected there are more law

offices and legal services in county seats. This is likely due to the demand for lawyers and legal services

associated with government offices and courthouses. Insurance agencies, brokerages, engineering

services and advertising agencies all had more businesses in county seats than in non-seats.

Accommodation, Restaurants and Food/Drink Services - Though the county seats and

communities with few or no county offices appear to have similar counts in this category (332 vs. 339

respectively), there are a few differences. Communities with few or no county offices downtown had

more restaurants (201) than county seats (170). This could be attributed to the trend of locating fast

food restaurant chains and other automobile-dependent convenience stores near the edge of town.

However, county seats did have a larger number of traveler accommodations such as bed and breakfasts

or resorts compared to non-county seats.

Education, Healthcare and Social Assistance – Downtown communities that are county seats

have more services in this category than those communities that have few or no county offices

downtown (516 vs. 316 respectively, or 26% more). The differences in this category are likely due to an

affiliation with the county government.

Public facilities are essential components of a healthy, strong and vibrant downtown. Many

communities experience economic and social benefits when the post office, municipal building, public

library or other important public buildings stay or are expanded downtown. Based on both governmental

policies and actions at all levels, there appears to be renewed recognition of the importance of public

buildings and their activities to the vitality of the downtown and the overall quality of their communities.

Based on the accumulation of business data from the downtowns of selected communities in Wisconsin,

it can be determined that communities with county government offices downtown tend to have more

businesses than those communities without county offices downtown. This further reaffirms the validity

of the downtown strategy to retain major governmental activities in the downtown area.

May 5, 2022

“Dagupan City breaks ground for new city hall”

DAGUPAN CITY – The first phase of the construction of a new Dagupan City hall complex at

the A.B. Fernandez Avenue here has started and is expected until December this year.

In an interview during the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Mayor Marc Brian Lim said

the first multi-storey building will be constructed in the almost 1,000-square-meter area in front of

the old city hall main building.

Phase 1 will be groundwork starting with the construction of its foundation and the majority

of the building’s frame or cell, he said.

the necessary papers as well as the demolition of the one-stop-shop-business center (OSBC)

building and part of the old city hall’s left wing were started way before the ban.

“Everything was finished before the election ban,” he added.

Lim said the entire ground floor of the building is dedicated to revenue-generating offices,

such as the OSBC for issuance of business permits.

“The beating heart of any city, town, municipality, or province is really their city hall or capitol.

And in Dagupan City, it’s no different. The location of our city hall holds a special place in the hearts

of Dagupeños. Ask your parents, your grandparents, this place has sentimental value for them,” he

said.

Lim said that based on the master plan, the construction of the city hall complex will start

from the front area, phase by phase and side buildings to the back, and there is also a provision for

perimeter parking spaces.

The old city hall building in the middle of the complex will remain.

The affected offices were transferred to the different city government buildings located

outside the city hall complex, such as the OSBC which is currently on the ground floor of the city

museum.

The second phase of the construction will begin after the completion of its first phase. (PNA)
 PLANNING AND DESIGN GUIDELINES: GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

City Halls are a type of government center where the positions of power such as the Office of the

Mayor and its assisting offices reside. Basically a city hall is a large office, the spaces of the building

should be designed to be as efficient, economical from construction to maintaining the building. To

achieve economical cost in the long term the building must be built with balance between the

construction cost and maintenance cost. City hall must be functional and economical in the long term to

support its constituents.

Steps to be taken in planning and constructing a city hall are (1) determining need, (2)

determining space requirements, (3) selecting an architect, (4) acquiring a site, (5) approving layout,

design, and architectural features, and (6) developing a financial plan. These steps are not a

one-two-three process; frequently they must be done simultaneously. It is important to have an idea of

what is wanted before selecting an architect, but the architect can be helpful in delineating wants. It is

important to remember that the city hall must last 60 years or more. The following "dos and don'ts"

provide a guide to officials engaged in planning a new city hall.

DO’S AND DON'T IN BUILDING A CITY HALL

DO:

1 . Locate the city hall where it will be most convenient and if possible where land values are

reasonable.

2. Be prepared to provide the architect with information on departments to be housed, the

number of employees, types of furnishings and equipment, and special requirements such as vault and

storage space.
 3. Provide ample off-street parking space for both employees and the public.

4. Put most or all city department headquarters in the city hall.

5. Provide for structural expansion end flexibility in office layout.

6. Plan the city hall from the inside out with emphasis on work flow, convenience to the public,

and convenience for employees.

7. Provide for the comfort and efficiency of employees with controlled ventilation and adequate

lighting.

8. Provide for employee lounges and rest rooms.

9. Use materials, construction, and furnishings which make the city hall easy to maintain.

10 . Provide open, unobstructed counters for transactions with the public.

DON'T:

1 . Don't locate in an area of declining property values except when part of a comprehensive

urban renewal program.

2. Don't try to remodel an old post office, school building, convention hall, or other building

designed for some other special use.

3. Don't forget that the city hall is an office building, not a monument or an ornament.

4. Don't underestimate space needs ; the average commercial office building lasts 67 years.

5.. Don't tie up valuable space with indoor pistol ranges, drive-through garages, private exits,

wide corridors, and other gadgets.

6. Don't cut up the city hall into cubby holes for minor officials.

7. Don't build the city hall over two stories in height If at all possible.

8. Don't let the public come In contact with police or criminal activities.
 9. Don't provide in the main lobby any facilities, such as a cigar and soft drink stand, which

encourage loitering.

DETERMINING NEEDS

The need for a new city hall may seem obvious to those who spend their working hours at the

city hall. Ceilings are high; heating costs are twice what they should be; space originally meant for

storage has been converted to offices; electrical wiring violates code provisions; and the present facility

is just old anyway. All of this-and more besides-may be true, but what is not known is how extensive the

need is. This must be determined by careful study. In determining the need for a city hall alternate

courses of action should be studied.

Factoring Influencing Need

Determining the extent of need involves two areas: (1) condition of building, and (2) space

needs. The condition of the building is the easiest to evaluate. Things to be considered are type of

construction, structural condition, electrical wiring, heating and ventilating, and facilities such as rest

rooms. Nothing may be seriously wrong and a new facility is still needed, but it is important to know

these points. Careful and professional review may bring factors to light heretofore not considered. At an

early stage it is important to have some idea of space needs. This can be determined in general terms by

having each department submit their space needs for review and study. If departments are already

crowded, additional space needed now is not hard to estimate. The real problem in determining space

needs is what will be needed in the future. The building may be adequate now, but will it be in 5, 10, 20

years? Few cities decide to build a new city hall and do so almost immediately. Experience seems to

indicate that a new city hall is the outgrowth of a number of years of careful planning and, once built,

lasts a long time. In estimating future needs not only must traditional services such as police and
building inspection be considered but also what future services the city may be required to provide. One

of the "do’s" is to provide for structural expansion. However, provision for such expansion must be in

reason, and should be based on projections of future needs. Knowledge of the community and its people

Is essential to space planning. City officials should know the population projections for the next 20 or 25

years, the economic level of the community, and present and probable social and economic

characteristics.

SELECTING THE LOCATION OF THE CITY HALL

Civic Centers

In selecting the location for a city hall, the first consideration is whether it should be combined

with a group of related buildings in a civic center. The civic center has had great appeal to the city

planner because it offers certain advantages and at the same time provides for latitude in design. The

buildings that are Included in civic centers range from a grouping of strictly administrative offices and

service buildings to a complex of office buildings, auditoriums, libraries, and so on.

The great advantage of a civic center is that the grouping of public buildings may prove to be

convenient to the public In transacting business that requires visits to more than one public agency . It

also may result in one or more governmental units being able to use the facilities of the other. Finally, it

often is convenient to have certain facilities grouped together in order to expedite interagency and

governmental relations.

The great advantage of a civic center is that the grouping of public buildings may prove to be

convenient to the public In transacting business that requires visits to more than one public agency. It

also may result in one or more governmental units being able to use the facilities of the other. Finally, it

often is convenient to have certain facilities grouped together in order to expedite interagency and

governmental relations.
 Obviously if a city hall is to be part of a civic center, it must be planned in relation to the other

facilities. For instance, the San Jose, California, city hall is part of a civic center consisting of a health

building, communications building, police garage, county office building, sheriff's department and jail,

criminal legal building, and a juvenile center. Some of the facilities, such as the administrative offices in

the health building, did not have to be repeated in the city hall.

Site selection for a civic center must consider the factors listed below for locating a city hall. In

addition, several other points are important. The site for a civic center must permit flexibility in building

arrangement. Since more land is necessary, street patterns may have to be altered, and additional land

will be needed for parking. Once the site has been selected, means must be found to preserve it for

gradual development of all the units. Also, the site must be located so as not to interfere with the normal

development of the business district.

On the surface the civic center idea has great appeal. There are those who feel that the center

concept has limitations. An article by Richard A. Miller entitled "Are Civic Centers Obsolete?,"

Architectural Forum, January, 1959, highlights these objections . Miller points out that cities range in size

"from mammoth concentrations" to small cities. "As a rule, the concentration of community buildings

can be increased in an inverse ratio to the size of the city." One of the strong points made in the article

relates to the discussion above on decentralization of city offices:

Government buildings - the city hall, fire station, and police stations-which were long the

nucleus of most civic centers, tend themselves to be dispersed today. The reason is obvious. Fire

and police buildings, for example, are best located at a central point in the street network, and

with the building of expressways, this point rarely intersects with the beat location for the

mayor's office or the council chamber. Service agencies (such as the water and park

departments) increasingly favor headquarters locations adjacent to their operating facilities. In

Philadelphia, where two new government office-type buildings will be erected, the city also
 plans to remodel and expand the old city hall in Penn Center to house the mayor and the

council-thus retaining a symbolic canter of government in the heart of the city

City-County Buildings

The county-sent city should investigate the possibility of constructing one building to serve the

needs of both the city and the county. At least 40 cities and counties occupy some buildings.

The city-county building has two major advantages. First, local governmental facilities are

together, which is frequently a convenience to the public and to city and county agencies that have

contact with each other. The second advantage is cost savings. Depending on conditions, a joint building

can be constructed for less money than two separate facilities when all costs are considered: land,

engineering and architectural fees, financing charges, and so on . Joint occupancy can result in operating

savings.

The majority of cities that occupy office space with the county feel that the arrangement is very

satisfactory. The most often stated disadvantage is lack of room for expansion. A joint city-county

building must be carefully planned so that both governmental units have area to expand in. A city and a

county have different as well as similar needs. When the differences are too great, a city-county building

can cause problems. The other drawback is that expenses and responsibilities for operatIng the building

are not always distributed equitably. It is thus extremely important that an agreement for building

operation and maintenance be worked out In advance of construction.

Location

The selection of a site for a city hall will be influenced by s number of circumstances. Some of

these conditions are limiting in nature, such as the availability of land. There are, however, certain

guiding principles that should be considered. When Tacoma and Pierce County decided to build a
city-county building the planned commissions of each governmental unit jointly developed a set of

location factors. The six applicable principles for a city hall location are as follows:

1. "Government must serve and be accessible to the people . . ." Efficiency of service is

related to how convenient governmental facilities are for the majority of those citizens using the

facility.

2. "Since public services must serve every citizen as well as, and as conveniently as

possible, those activities must be located near the center of transportation and the center of

business activity. In the large city public transportation comes to a head in the central business

district. Major arterial streets are planned to bring people in and out of the city center. In most

cases the city hall should be located near public transportation, if any, and certainly near major

arterial streets.

The city hall should be near the center of business activity because this is where the

principal users of the facility are most frequently located. As an example, attorneys frequently

must use records that are housed in city hall. A city should determine what groups most often

come to city hall and place the facility as close to those groups as possible.

3. "Government offices must have integration with, not isolation from, other offices in

order to serve the public efficiently and effectively. " City government agencies use the services

of professional men and other businesses. Locating the city hall near the center of business

activity helps expedite the work of the agencies located in city hall.

4. "Maximum use of transit systems will result in the least public parking areas and cause

the least congestion on city streets." Obviously this applies only to the city having some form of

public transit. People travel either by walking or by using cars, taxis, or public transit. If the city

hall is readily accessible to automobiles only, parking requirements would increase in direct ratio

to the increased use of the car. For the city that does not have transit systems, location in the
 center area of the city may help to reduce parking requirements. People come to the city center

to do a variety of things; frequently they park and walk between different places of business.

5. "The central business district is the real civic center of the 20th century." A lot has

been said about the deteriorating central business district. The impression has been given that

the central city is drying up; that everything is moving out. Thus why not the city hall. In the first

place there is good reason to believe that the moving out has largely been the retail store and to

a lesser extent the office building. Secondly, in the large city, the concentration of people makes

it possible for certain types of business, including retail, to operate more efficiently; in the small

city the general business area is staying intact for some reason. A city cannot afford to allow the

central business district to dry up because of the investment it represents. The proper placement

of the city hall in the central business district can contribute to the life of this area.

6. "More than the initial land cost must be included under the economic considerations

of the site . . ." The site should allow for expansion. Site development cost must be considered.

These expenditures include demolition of existing structures, If any, grading utilities, and flood

protection.

LAYOUT, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FEATURES

General Building Layout - Building arrangement is the next step in planning a city hall. It is helpful

as a starting point to use the following checklist of departments, offices, special-purpose rooms, and

service areas in analyzing interior building requirements:

1 . Departments requiring constant contact with the general public and the collection or

payment of money-for example, the finance department and tax collector.

2. Departments requiring contact with special classes of the public-for example, city

owned utilities, building permits, personnel, city planning, and city clerk.
 3. Other departments include public works, recreation, police, fire, etc.

4. City council chamber and office space for use by the mayor and councilmen.

5. Offices for the chief administrator

6. Courtrooms

7. Storage vaults and record rooms

8. Locker rooms, rest rooms, janitor closets, public telephones, and space for heating,

ventilating, plumbing, and electrical equipment

9. "Circulating areas" for lobbies, corridors, elevators, and stairways The relationship of

one room or functional area to another is important. No room exists by itself, and many of the

problems of living in a building arise from the neglect of this fact. Departments related in

function should be located near one another and consecutive operations planned in

production-line style. Excessive lobbies and hall space add to the cost of construction without

adding usable space. The height of the building will depend upon the amount of ground

available and the amount of office space needed. Land generally is cheaper than additional

height. Taller buildings are more difficult to maintain and require more planning of the interior to

get related functions on adjacent floors. Also any city building of more than two floors should

have an elevator, especially if the public has any great use of the top floor. Provision for a full

basement housing general offices is not often made in now city office buildings. Most

professional organizations advise against locating general offices in the basement. The basement

can be used for storage and service activities such as duplicating, receiving and shipping rooms,

heating and air conditioning equipment, and central switchboard.

department and the tools or special equipment used. For example, a finance department layout may

require an open area for accounting clerks and collectors with one or two private offices, a machine

room, and a vault. The public works department, on the other hand, may require private offices for the

director, the engineer, and individual inspectors, a drafting room, a vault, a plan or map room, and

conference rooms.

The first step in departments[ layout is to survey the work done by the department. Workflow

should be especially studied. A complete list should be made of all employees and equipment to occupy

the space. The possibility of future expansion should be anticipated and provision made for additional

personnel. Provision also should be-made for peak rather than average work loads. Flow of work should,

as nearly as practicable, be in a straight line. Normally, work should come to the employees rather than

their going to work. Minor activities can be grouped around areas of major activity.

Private Offices - A major factor in the determination of space needs is the question of who

should get private offices and under what circumstances. More space is required for private offices;

space utilization is restricted through segregation of areas for private offices; and considerable expense

is involved in rearranging and re erecting partitions. Ventilation, lighting, and heating problems are

complicated by a number of small offices; supervision and coordination of work, flow of work, and

communications are made more difficult. An open, wall-arranged office has a more orderly and

businesslike appearance than a series of small offices.

Certain conditions justify private offices. First, transactions of a confidential nature require

private facilities. General conference rooms, however, where confidential meetings may be held as

occasion demands, may reduce the need for private offices. Second, privacy is often desirable not so

much because of the confidential nature of the work, but because of the number of persons interviewed
or because the work is of an independent nature which requires more quiet and privacy than the open

office will allow. There is little agreement as to who should have private offices except for the chief

administrative officer and department heads.

Chief Administrator’s Office - The location of the chief administrator's office is important to good

public relations. It should be located so as to give the impression of being easily reached and open to any

caller, but it should not be too prominent. The second floor ordinarily is a good location since some

effort must be expended to visit it, and the casual or merely curious individual is less likely to intrude.

A first-floor location, however, can be just as good if callers are properly screened by a secretary

or receptionist. It has the additional advantage of being close to the offices most frequented by the

public. Of interest to council-manager cities is the fact that the mayor has an office in the majority of

cases located very close to the city manager's office.

The administrator's office should be large enough for meetings of department heads unless a

conference room adjoins his office . A conference table that will accommodate up to 12 people is

desirable. Space should be provided adjacent to the administrator's office for a secretary and one or

more assistants, depending upon the size of the city. The secretary's office would also serve as a

reception room for people who call on the administrator.

Council Members - The council meeting room should be carefully planned if full use is to be

made of it. Location of the council chamber is important because of the public nature of the business

transacted there. Most of the cities with multistoried buildings have the council room on the first or

second floor.
 The offices located near or around the council chamber are usually those of the city clerk, city

attorney, and city manager. Small meeting rooms and an office for the mayor and councilmen may be

located nearby.

In only a few cities do the councilmen have their backs to the public. The mayor usually sits in

the center flanked by the manager, clerk, and attorney. The council table often is put on a dais 18 in. or 2

ft above the main floor.

It is well to plan the council chamber so that it also can be used for other purposes. In many

cities it is used as a general courtroom for public hearings held by city agencies, as a meeting room for

the city planning or zoning commission, for general conferences, and as a public meeting room.

Police Departments - The police department is singled out for discussion because of the special

facilities it needs other than regular office space. As noted, the police department is frequently not

included in the city hall. When it is, however, it should be basically separate from other city hall

activities, and public and criminal activities should be separated.

Design of the City Hall - The city hall is essentially an office building, not a monument or an

ornament. The building should be so designed as to be economical in construction and maintenance.

True long-range economy is achieved by a judicious balance between original cost and maintenance cost.

A building with cheap materials and equipment for the sake of low first cost may be quite expensive in

maintenance and replacement. Even though the city hall should be basically functional and not a

monument, originality in design is not precluded.

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

BOOK I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

TITLE ONE. - BASIC PRINCIPLES

CHAPTER 1. - THE CODE, POLICY AND APPLICATION

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the "Local Government Code of 1991".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. -

(a) It is hereby declared the policy of the State that the territorial and political

subdivisions of the State shall enjoy genuine and meaningful local autonomy to enable them to

attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities and make them more effective

partners in the attainment of national goals. Toward this end, the State shall provide for a more

responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of

decentralization whereby local government units shall be given more powers, authority,

responsibilities, and resources. The process of decentralization shall proceed from the national

government to the local government units.

(b) It is also the policy of the State to ensure the accountability of local government units

through the institution of effective mechanisms of recall, initiative and referendum.

(c) It is likewise the policy of the State to require all national agencies and offices to

conduct periodic consultations with appropriate local government units, non-governmental and

people's organizations, and other concerned sectors of the community before any project or

program is implemented in their respective jurisdictions.

and measures on local autonomy shall be guided by the following operative principles:

(a) There shall be an effective allocation among the different local government units of

their respective powers, functions, responsibilities, and resources;

(b) There shall be established in every local government unit an accountable, efficient,

and dynamic organizational structure and operating mechanism that will meet the priority needs

and service requirements of its communities;

(c) Subject to civil service law, rules and regulations, local officials and employees paid

wholly or mainly from local funds shall be appointed or removed, according to merit and fitness,

by the appropriate appointing authority;

(d) The vesting of duty, responsibility, and accountability in local government units shall

be accompanied with provision for reasonably adequate resources to discharge their powers and

effectively carry out their functions; hence, they shall have the power to create and broaden

their own sources of revenue and the right to a just share in national taxes and an equitable

share in the proceeds of the utilization and development of the national wealth within their

respective areas;

(e) Provinces with respect to component cities and municipalities, and cities and

municipalities with respect to component Barangays, shall ensure that the acts of their

component units are within the scope of their prescribed powers and functions:

(f) Local government units may group themselves, consolidate or coordinate their

efforts, services, and resources for purposes commonly beneficial to them;

(g) The capabilities of local government units, especially the municipalities and

Barangays, shall been enhanced by providing them with opportunities to participate actively in

the implementation of national programs and projects;

legislative enabling acts but also by administrative and organizational reforms;

(i) Local government units shall share with the national government the responsibility in

the management and maintenance of ecological balance within their territorial jurisdiction,

subject to the provisions of this Code and national policies;

(j) Effective mechanisms for ensuring the accountability of local government units to

their respective constituents shall be strengthened in order to upgrade continually the quality of

local leadership;

(k) The realization of local autonomy shall be facilitated through improved coordination

of national government policies and programs and extension of adequate technical and material

assistance to less developed and deserving local government units;

(l) The participation of the private sector in local governance, particularly in the delivery

of basic services, shall be encouraged to ensure the viability of local autonomy as an alternative

strategy for sustainable development; and

(m)The national government shall ensure that decentralization contributes to the

continuing improvement of the performance of local government units and the quality of

community life.

SECTION 4. Scope of Application. - This Code shall apply to all provinces, cities, municipalities, Barangays,

and other political subdivisions as may be created by law, and, to the extent herein provided, to officials,

offices, or agencies of the national government.

SECTION 5. Rules of Interpretation. - In the interpretation of the provisions of this Code, the following

rules shall apply:

its favor, and in case of doubt, any question thereon shall be resolved in favor of devolution of

powers and of the lower local government unit. Any fair and reasonable doubt as to the

existence of the power shall be interpreted in favor of the local government unit concerned;

(b) In case of doubt, any tax ordinance or revenue measure shall be construed strictly

against the local government unit enacting it, and liberally in favor of the taxpayer. Any tax

exemption, incentive or relief granted by any local government unit pursuant to the provisions of

this Code shall be construed strictly against the person claiming it.

(c) The general welfare provisions in this Code shall be liberally interpreted to give more

powers to local government units in accelerating economic development and upgrading the

quality of life for the people in the community;

(d) Rights and obligations existing on the date of effectivity of this Code and arising out

of contracts or any other source of presentation involving a local government unit shall be

governed by the original terms and conditions of said contracts or the law in force at the time

such rights were vested; and

(e) In the resolution of controversies arising under this Code where no legal provision or

jurisprudence applies, resort may be had to the customs and traditions in the place where the

controversies take place.

CHAPTER 2. - GENERAL POWERS AND ATTRIBUTES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

SECTION 6. Authority to Create Local Government Units. - A local government unit may be created,

divided, merged, abolished, or its boundaries substantially altered either by law enacted by Congress in

the case of a province, city, municipality, or any other political subdivision, or by ordinance passed by the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan or Sangguniang Panlungsod concerned in the case of a Barangay located

within its territorial jurisdiction, subject to such limitations and requirements prescribed in this Code.

SECTION 7. Creation and Conversion. - As a general rule, the creation of a local government unit or its

conversion from one level to another level shall be based on verifiable indicators of viability and

projected capacity to provide services, to wit:

(a) Income - It must be sufficient, based on acceptable standards, to provide for all

essential government facilities and services and special functions commensurate with the size of

its population, as expected of the local government unit concerned;

(b) Population - It shall be determined as the total number of inhabitants within the

territorial jurisdiction of the local government unit concerned; and

(c) Land Area - It must be contiguous, unless it comprises two or more islands or is

separated by a local government unit independent of the others; properly identified by metes

and bounds with technical descriptions; and sufficient to provide for such basic services and

facilities to meet the requirements of its populace. Compliance with the foregoing indicators

shall be attested to by the Department of Finance (DOF), the National Statistics Office (NSO), and

the Lands Management Bureau (LMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

(DENR).

SECTION 8. Division and Merger. - Division and merger of existing local government units shall comply

with the same requirements herein prescribed for their creation: Provided however, That such division

shall not reduce the income, population, or land area of the local government unit or units concerned to

less than the minimum requirements prescribed in this Code: Provided, further, That the income
classification of the original local government unit or units shall not fall below its current income

classification prior to such division.

The income classification of local government units shall be updated within six (6) months from

the effectiveness of this Code to reflect the changes in their financial position resulting from the

increased revenues as provided herein.

SECTION 9. Abolition of Local Government Units. - A local government unit may be abolished when its

income, population, or land area has been irreversibly reduced to less than the minimum standards

prescribed for its creation under Book III of this Code, as certified by the national agencies mentioned in

SECTION 17 hereof to Congress or to the Sanggunian concerned, as the case may be.

The law or ordinance abolishing a local government unit shall specify the province, city,

municipality, or Barangay with which the local government unit sought to be abolished will be

incorporated or merged.

SECTION 10. Plebiscite Requirement. - No creation, division, merger, abolition, or substantial alteration

of boundaries of local government units shall take effect unless approved by a majority of the votes cast

in a plebiscite called for the purpose in the political unit or units directly affected. Said plebiscite shall be

conducted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) within one hundred twenty (120) days from the

date of effectivity of the law or ordinance effecting such action, unless said law or ordinance fixes

another date.