Court Relents, Allows 16 Towns To Become Cities

[Mr Lee]

THE Supreme Court, voting 6-4, has allowed 16 municipalities to become cities, reversing its own ruling last year. In a decision written by Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco Jr., the court ruled as constitutional laws that declared as cities Baybay in Leyte; Bogo in Cebu; Catbalogan in Samar; Tandag in Surigao del Sur; Lamitan in Basilan; Borongan in Samar; Tayabas in Quezon; Tabuk in Kalinga; Bayugan in Agusan del Sur; Batac in Ilocos Norte; Mati in Davao Oriental; Guihulngan in Negros Oriental; Cabadbaran in Agusan del Norte; El Salvador in Misamis Oriental; Carcar in Cebu; and Naga City in Cebu. The justices said the laws that enabled the towns to become cities explicitly exempted them from a requirement under the Local Government Code that set the minimum income for cities at P100 million.You can read the whole story here