Act No. 387

by the Government of the Philippine Islands

United States Philippine Commission

[ Act No. 387 ]

AN ACT providing for the establishment of local civil government in the townships and settlements of Nueva Vizcaya

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Legislature assembled and by the authority of the same: GENERAL PROVISIONS.

WHEREAS the conditions which prevail in the pueblos of the province of Nueva Vizcaya are such that it is not deemed expedited at present to organize them under the Municipal Code, the following form of municipal government is adopted for them:

SECTION 1.

The pueblos of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya namely, Bayombong, Bambang, Dupax, Aritao, Solano, and Bagabag, shall be recognized as municipal corporations with the same boundaries as now exist de jure or de facto upon organization under the provisions of this Act. They shall be designated as townships, and shall be known respectively by the names heretofore adopted. Under such names they may sue and be sued, contract and be contracted with, acquire and hold real estate and personal property for the general interests of the township, and exercise all the powers hereinafter conferred upon them. All property and property rights vested in any pueblo under its former organization shall continue to be vested in the same township after its incorporation under this Act.

SEC. 2.

Each of these townships shall be divided into barrios. For the purposes of the first election, the barrios as established under Spanish sovereignty shall be recognized; but, when local civil government shall have been established in any township, this government shall readjust the division of the township into barrios, definitely fixing the boundaries of these barrios, as hereinafter provided. The barrio of the township in which the “tribunal” was formerly situated shall be known as the chief barrio.

SEC. 3.

The government of each of the townships named in section one is hereby vested in a President, a Vice-President, and a council, composed of one representative from each barrio of the township, who shall be designated “councillor.”

SEC. 4.

There shall be in each township a Secretary, a Treasurer, and such other nonelective and provide for, and the provincial board shall authorize.

SEC. 5.

The President and Vice-President shall be chosen at large by the qualified electors of the township; the Councillor of each barrio shall be chosen by the qualified electors of the barrio. The term of office of the President, Vice-president, and Councillor shall be for two years from and after the first Monday in January next after their election, and until their successors are duly chosen and qualified: provided, That the President, Vice-President, and Councillors elected in 1902 shall hold office until the first Monday in January, 1904, or until their successors are duly chosen and qualified.