CREATING THE PROVINCE OF BASILAN

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State to create every
possible opportunity and enlarge every means to quicken the pace of
progress, in every part of the country, with particular stress on those
areas whose economic development had for one reason or another lagged
behind the rest of the nation;

WHEREAS, the island of Basilan has suffered from virtual
geographic isolation and, like the islands of the Tawi-Tawi group, has
long needed closer attention for the purpose of speedier growth;

WHEREAS, the policy of speedy development for this part of
the country can best be carried out by the creation of a local
government which could, through faster administrative response to
problems and better appreciation of its peculiar needs, provide more
adequate service to the people of the area; and

WHEREAS, such administrative machinery will redound to the
economic, social and political progress of the people of Basilan;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution as
Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and
pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated 21 September 1972, and General
Order No. 1, dated 22 September 1972, do hereby order and decree:

SECTION 1. Except the territory consisting of the town
proper or poblacion of the former Municipality of Isabela,
which shall be known as the City of Basilan, the territory embracing the
whole island of Basilan and adjacent islands, in which are comprised
the remaining barrios and sitios of the former Municipality of Isabela
and the Municipal Districts of Lamitan and Maluso, which are hereby
created into regular municipalities, is constituted into a new province
to be known as the Province of Basilan.

SEC. 2. The capital of the Province of Basilan shall be
the Municipality of Isabela.

SEC. 3. Except as hereinafter provided, all provisions of
law now or hereafter applicable to regular provinces shall be applicable
to the Province of Basilan.

SEC. 4. The present elective officials of the Province of
Zamboanga del Sur shall perform their duties as such officials in the
newly created Province of Basilan until the officials of the latter
shall have been duly appointed by the President. Such officials thus
appointed shall hold office until their successors shall have been
elected in the election for provincial and municipal officials following
the issuance of this Decree and shall have qualified unless sooner
removed at the pleasure of the President. Other appointive officials and
employees as may be necessary to organize or to complete the government
personnel of the Province herein created shall be appointed as provided
by law.

SEC. 5. The Province herein created shall remain part of the
present representative district of Zamboanga del Sur until a law shall
have been passed reapportioning the representative districts pursuant to
Section 2, Article VIII of the Constitution.

SEC. 6. Upon the effectivity of this Decree, the
proportionate share of the Province of Basilan in the obligations,
funds, deposits and other properties of the City of Basilan shall be
transferred by the President to the Province herein created upon the
recommendation of the Chairman of the Commission on Audit.

SEC. 7. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 27th day of December, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.