REPUBLIC ACT No. 2786
An Act to Create the Provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:
Section 1. The province of Surigao is hereby divided into two provinces, one to be known as Surigao del Norte and the other as Surigao del Sur.
Section 2. The Province of Surigao del Norte shall consist of that portion of the present Province of Surigao which comprises the municipalities of Dinagat, Loreto, Dapa, Numancia, General Luna, Pilar, Sapao, Malimono, Anaoaon, Surigao, Placer, Tagana-an, Mainit, Tubod, Bacuag, Gigaquit, Claver, Sison, San Isidro, Albor and Cagdianao.
Section 3. The Province of Surigao del Sur shall consist of the other portion of the present Province of Surigao comprising the municipalities of Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Lanuza, Cortez, Tandag, Tago, Cagwait, Hinatuan, Marihatag, Lianga, Bislig and Lingig.
Section 4. The capital of Surigao del Norte shall be Surigao and that of Surigao del Sur shall be Tandag.
Section 5. Except as hereinafter provided, all provisions of law now or hereafter applicable to regular provinces shall be applicable to the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.
Section 6. The present elective provincial officers of Surigao shall, until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified, perform their respective duties as such officers in either of the two provinces herein created which they shall individually choose within thirty days from the date of the approval of this Act: Provided, That they shall continue to receive the salaries they are receiving at the time of the approval of this Act until the new readjustment of salaries in accordance with existing law. Such elective officers as may be necessary to fill vacancies in either of the said provinces shall for the time being be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments and shall hold office until December thirty-one, nineteen hundred sixty-one and/or until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified.
Section 7. Special elections shall be held in either or both provinces to fill elective provincial positions which shall be vacated by incumbent provincial elective officials, said special elections to be held simultaneously with the national elections in November, nineteen hundred sixty-one. The Commission on Elections is directed to carry into effect the provisions of this section. Nothing herein contained shall affect the term of office of the incumbent elected provincial officials of Surigao.1âшphi1
Section 8. The present appointive provincial officers and employees of Surigao shall likewise perform their respective duties as such in either of the two provinces herein created which they shall individually choose within thirty days from the date of the approval hereof: Provided, That they shall continue to receive the salaries they are receiving at the time of the approval of this Act until the new readjustment of salaries in accordance with existing law. Such appointive officers and employees as may be necessary to organize, or to complete, the government personnel of either province shall be appointed as provided by law.
Section 9. The provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur shall each have one Representative: Provided, That the present Representative of the Province of Surigao shall, during his term of office as such, be the Representative for the Province of Surigao del Norte: Provided, further, That he shall likewise be the Representative for the Province of Surigao del Sur until a Representative for the latter province shall have been elected in the next general election for national officials or in a special election called for the purpose.
Section 10. Upon effectivity of this Act, the obligations, funds, assets and other properties of the present Province of Surigao shall be divided equitably between the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Auditor General.
Section 11. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 19, 1960.
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