Municipalities of the Philippines

Philippines

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A municipality (Filipino: "bayan" or "munisipalidad") is a local government unit in the Philippines. Municipalities are also called towns (which is actually a better translation of "bayan"). They are distinct from cities, which are a different category of local government unit (LGU).

Provinces are composed of cities and municipalities. Municipalities, in turn, are composed of barangays or barrios.

Municipalities have some autonomy from the National Government of the Republic of the Philippines under the Local Government Code of 1991. They have been granted corporate personality enabling them to enact local policies and laws, enforce them, and govern their jurisdictions. They can enter into contracts and other transactions through their elected and appointed officials and can tax. They are tasked with enforcing all laws, whether local or national. The National Government assists, supervises and ensures that the local government does not violate national law. Local Governments have their own Executive and Legislative Branches and the check and balance between these two major branches, along with their separation, are more pronounced than that of the national government. The Judicial Branch of the Republic of the Philippines also caters to the needs of local government units. Local governments, such as a municipalities, do not to have their own judicial branch: their Judiciary is the same as that of the national government.

A municipality is headed by a municipal mayor who is the executive officer. The legislature is composed of the vice-mayor (bise-mayor) and eight councilors (kagawad or konsehal). The eight councilors, along with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) (Youth Council) President and the Liga ng mga Barangay President, form the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council). All are elected and serve 3-year terms. They cannot serve more than three consecutive terms (9 years).

The Vice-Mayor presides over the legislature, but cannot vote except to break a tie. Laws or ordinances proposed by the legislature (Sangguniang Bayan) may be approved or vetoed by the Mayor. If approved they become law. If the Mayor neither vetoes nor approves the proposal of the Sangguniang Bayan for ten (10) days from the time of receipt, the said proposal becomes law as if it had been signed. If vetoed, the draft is sent back to the Sangguniang Bayan. The latter may 'override' the Mayor by a vote of at least 2/3 of all its members, in which case, the proposal becomes Law.

A municipality, upon reaching a certain requirements-minimum population size, and minimum annual revenue-may opt to become a city. First, a bill must be passed in Congress, then signed into law by the President and then the residents would vote in the succeeding plebiscite to accept or reject cityhood. One benefit in being a city is that the city government gets more budget, but taxes are much higher than in municipalities. As of September 30, 2009 there are 1,514 municipalities.

Contents

Map

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Province Municipalities
Abra 27
Agusan del Norte 10
Agusan del Sur 13
Aklan 17
Albay 15
Antique 18
Apayao 7
Aurora 8
Basilan 11
Bataan 11
Batanes 6
Batangas 31
Benguet 13
Biliran 8
Bohol 47
Bukidnon 20
Bulacan 21
Cagayan 28
Camarines Norte 12
Camarines Sur 35
Camiguin 5
Capiz 16
Catanduanes 11
Cavite 19
Cebu 44
Compostela Valley 11
Cotabato 17
Davao del Norte 8
Davao del Sur 14
Davao Oriental 10
Dinagat Islands 7
Eastern Samar 22
Guimaras 5
Ifugao 11
Ilocos Norte 21
Ilocos Sur 32
Iloilo 42
Isabela 35
Kalinga 7
La Union 19
Laguna 26
Lanao del Norte 22
Lanao del Sur 39
Leyte 40
Maguindanao 36
Marinduque 6
Masbate 20
Metro Manila 1
Misamis Occidental 14
Misamis Oriental 23
Mountain Province 10
Negros Occidental 19
Negros Oriental 19
Northern Samar 24
Nueva Ecija 27
Nueva Vizcaya 15
Occidental Mindoro 11
Oriental Mindoro 14
Palawan 23
Pampanga 20
Pangasinan 44
Quezon 39
Quirino 6
Rizal 13
Romblon 17
Samar 24
Sarangani 7
Siquijor 6
Sorsogon 14
South Cotabato 10
Southern Leyte 18
Sultan Kudarat 11
Sulu 19
Surigao del Norte 20
Surigao del Sur 17
Tarlac 17
Tawi-Tawi 11
Zambales 13
Zamboanga del Norte 25
Zamboanga del Sur 26
Zamboanga Sibugay 16

Income classification

Municipalities are divided into income classes according to their average annual income during the last three calendar years:

1st class P50,000,000 or more.
2nd class P40,000,000 or more but less than P50,000,000.
3rd class P30,000,000 or more but less than P40,000,000.
4th class P20,000,000 or more but less than P30,000,000.
5th class P10,000,000 or more but less than P20,000,000.
6th class Below P10,000,000

See also

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External links