Republic Act No. 11554 Creating the City of Calaca

The cityhood of the Municipality of Calaca in western Batangas has already been signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on 26 May 2021¹. For this law to take into effect, the citizens of Calaca need to undergo a plebiscite which would formally put the law into effect. In Resolution 10716, however, the Commission on Elections en banc postponed this plebiscite along with four others to enable the commission to focus all its energies and attention on the May 2022 National and Local Elections. The plebiscite, therefore, would be held after the conclusion of these elections.

The contents of Republic Act 11544, otherwise known as the “Charter City of Calaca,” are provided below:

Section 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Charter of the City of Calaca.”

Section 2. The City of Calaca. – The Municipality of Calaca shall be converted into a component city to be known as the City of Calaca, hereinafter referred to as the City, which shall comprise the present jurisdiction of the Municipality of Calaca, Province of Batangas.

The territorial jurisdiction of the City shall be within the present metes and bounds of the Municipality of Calaca.

The foregoing provision shall be without prejudice to the resolution by the appropriate agency or forum of existing boundary disputes or cases involving questions of territorial jurisdiction between the City of Calaca and the adjoining local government units (LGUs): Provided, That, the territorial jurisdiction of the disputed area or areas shall remain with the local government unit, which has existing administrative supervision over said area or areas until the final resolution of the case.

Section 3. Corporate Powers of the City. – The City constitutes a political body corporate and as such is endowed with the attributes of perpetual succession and possessed of the powers which pertains to a municipal corporation to be exercised in conformity with the provision of this Charter. The City shall have the following corporate powers:

Section 4. General Powers. – The City shall have a common seal and may alter the same at pleasure: Provided, That any change of corporate seal shall be registered with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). It shall exercise the powers to levy taxes, fees and charges; to close and open roads, streets, alleys, parks or squares; to take, purchase, receive, hold, lease, convey and dispose of real and personal property for the general interests of the City; to expropriate or condemn private property for public use; to contract and be contracted with; to sue and be sued; to prosecute and defend to final judgment and execution suits wherein the City is involved or interested in; and to exercise all the powers as are granted to corporations or as hereinafter granted.

Section 5. General Welfare Clause of the City. – The City shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare.

Within its territorial jurisdiction, the City shall ensure and support the preservation and enrichment of its culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology, encourage and support the development of appropriate and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, improve public morals, enhance economic prosperity and social justice, promote full employment among their residents, maintain peace and order, and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.

Section 6. Liability for Damages. – The City and its officials shall not be exempt from liability for death or injury to persons or damage to property.

Section 7. Jurisdiction of the City. – The jurisdiction of the City, for police purposes only, shall be coextensive with its territorial jurisdiction and for the purpose of protecting and ensuring the purity of the water supply in the City, such police jurisdiction shall also extend over all the territory within the drainage area of such water supply, or within one hundred meters (100 m.) of any reservoir, conduit, canal, aqueduct or pumping station used in connection with the City water service.

The city court of the City of Calaca and the city or municipal courts of the adjoining cities and municipalities shall have concurrent jurisdiction to try crimes and misdemeanors committed within the said drainage area or areas within said spaces of one hundred meters (100 m.) of any reservoir, conduit, canal, aqueduct or pumping station used in connection with the City water service delivery.

The court first taking jurisdiction of such offense shall have jurisdiction to try cases to the exclusion of others. The police force of the municipalities and cities concerned shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the police forces of the City for the maintenance of good order and the enforcement of ordinances throughout said zone, area or space. Any license that may issued within said zone, area or space shall be granted by the proper authorities of the city or municipality concerned, and the fees arising therefrom shall accrue to the treasury of the said city or municipality concerned and not to the City.

ARTICLE II
OFFICIALS IN GENERAL

Section 8. The Officials of the City of Calaca. – (a) There shall be in the City of Calaca: a City Mayor, a City Vice Mayor, Sangguniang Panlungsod members, a secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, a city treasurer and an assistant city treasurer, a city assessor and an assistant city assessor, a city accountant, a city budget officer, a city planning and development officer, a city engineer, a city health officer, a city social worker and development officer, a city veterinarian and a city general services officer.

¹ “Republic Act No.. 11544, May 26, 2021,” online at LawPhil.net.