MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has signed into law a measure dividing Barangay 176, also known as Bagong Silang, in Caloocan City into six separate and independent barangays.
Republic Act 11993, signed by the President on April 3, divides Bagong Silang into Barangay 176-A, Barangay 176-B, Barangay 176-C, Barangay 176-D, Barangay 176-E and Barangay 176-F, with the territorial boundaries of each barangay created immediately with the existing “puroks” or “phases.”
The law directs the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to conduct and supervise the plebiscite to be held in Barangay 176 within 90 days from the effectivity of the law.
RA 11993 also mandates the appointment of interim barangay officials including the punong barangay, seven Sangguniang Barangay members, a Sangguniang Kabataan chairman, and seven Sangguniang Kabataan members in each of the newly created barangays to be designated by the mayor.
The barangay officials would serve until their duly elected and qualified successors assume office, the law stated.
Under the new law, incumbent barangay officials shall continue to hold office until such time that the officials of the newly created barangays have been duly appointed.
Public infrastructure and facilities existing at the time of the approval of the law shall be transferred without cost or compensation and shall be administered by the new barangays, it said.
All newly created barangays shall be entitled to the national allotment shares pursuant to Section 285 of RA 7160, as amended, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, the law read.
RA 11993 takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
However, before the division of Bagong Silang proceeds, the city government and the Commission on Elections should conduct a plebiscite to determine if residents support the move.
Mayor Along Malapitan welcomed the new law, which he said was advocated by his father, Rep. Oscar Malapitan, “to better address the needs of residents and bring government services closer to them.”