Republic Act No. 6766/Article VI

by Congress of the Philippines

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Article VI

THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

Section 1. The executive power shall be vested in a Cordillera Governor who shall be elected at large by direct vote of the people of the Autonomous Region.

Sec. 2. No person may be elected Cordillera Governor unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and on the day of the election is at least thirty-five (35) years of age, able to read and write, a registered voter in the region and an actual resident thereof for a period of not less than five (5) years immediately preceding the day of election.

Sec. 3. The Cordillera Governor shall be assisted by a Cabinet of six (6) members at least four (4) of whom shall preferably come from indigenous cultural communities: Provided, That the members shall, as far as practicable, come from various provinces and cities within the Autonomous Region.

The members of the Cabinet must be registered voters and residents of the region for at least five (5) years immediately preceding their appointment.

The Cordillera Governor shall appoint the members of the Cabinet subject to confirmation by the Regional Commission on Appointments.

Sec. 4. There shall be a Cordillera Deputy Governor who shall have the same qualifications and term of office and be elected with and in the same manner as the Cordillera Governor. He may be removed from office in the same manner as the Cordillera Governor. The Cordillera Deputy Governor may be appointed as a member of the Regional Cabinet. Such appointment requires no confirmation.

Sec. 5. The Cordillera Governor and the Cordillera Deputy Governor shall be elected by direct vote of the people of the Autonomous Region for a term of three (3) years which shall begin at noon on the thirty-first day of March next following the day of election and shall end at noon of the same date three (3) years thereafter.

No Cordillera Governor or Cordillera Deputy Governor shall serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms. Voluntary renunciation of, or removal from, office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of the service for the full term for which he was elected.

Unless otherwise provided by national law, the regular election for the Cordillera Governor and Cordillera Deputy Governor shall be held on the second Monday of February.

Sec. 6. The Cordillera Governor and the Cordillera Deputy Governor on assuming office shall take the following oath or affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as Cordillera Governor (or Cordillera Deputy Governor) of the Cordillera Autonomous Region, preserve and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and this Organic Act, execute its laws, do justice to all and consecrate myself to the service of the Cordilleras. So help me God." (In case of affirmation, the last sentence will be omitted.)

Sec. 7. The annual compensation of the Cordillera Governor and the Cordillera Deputy Governor shall, unless otherwise provided by national law, be fixed at One hundred eighty thousand pesos (₱180,000.00) and One hundred forty-four thousand pesos (₱144,000.00), respectively. They shall not receive during their tenure any other emolument from the Government.

Sec. 8. The Cordillera Governor shall be provided with a reasonable housing allowance by the Cordillera Assembly.

Sec. 9. The Cordillera Governor-elect and the Cordillera Deputy Governor-elect shall assume office at the beginning of their terms.

If the Cordillera Governor-elect fails to qualify, the Cordillera Deputy Governor-elect shall act as Cordillera Governor until the Cordillera Governor-elect shall have qualified.

If the Cordillera Governor shall not have been chosen, the Cordillera Deputy Governor-elect shall act as Cordillera Governor until a Cordillera Governor shall have been chosen and qualified.

If at the beginning of the term of the Cordillera Governor, the Cordillera Governor-elect shall have died or shall have been permanently disabled, the Cordillera Deputy Governor-elect shall become Cordillera Governor.

Where no Cordillera Governor and Cordillera Deputy Governor shall have qualified, or where both have died or become permanently disabled, the Speaker of the Cordillera Assembly shall act as Acting Cordillera Governor until a Cordillera Governor or Cordillera Deputy Governor shall have been chosen and qualified.

The Cordillera Assembly shall, by law, provide for the manner in which one who is to act as Cordillera Governor shall be selected until a Cordillera Governor or a Cordillera Deputy Governor shall have qualified, in case of death, permanently disability or resignation of the Speaker.

Sec. 10. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the Cordillera Governor, the Cordillera Deputy Governor shall become the Cordillera Governor to serve for the unexpired term. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of both the Cordillera Governor and Cordillera Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the Cordillera Assembly shall act as Cordillera Governor until the Cordillera Governor or Cordillera Deputy Governor are elected and qualified in a special election called for the purpose: Provided, That upon assumption as acting Cordillera Governor, the Speaker of the Cordillera Assembly shall temporarily vacate his position as such and a Speaker Pro Tempore shall be elected: Provided, further, That upon the election and assumption of office of the new Cordillera Governor, the Speaker shall reassume his office.

The Cordillera Assembly shall, by law, provide who shall serve as Cordillera Governor in case of death, permanent disability, or resignation of the Acting Cordillera Governor. He shall serve until the Cordillera Governor shall have been elected and qualified, and be subject to the same restrictions of powers and disqualifications as the Acting Cordillera Governor.

Sec. 11. In case of temporary incapacity of the Cordillera Governor to perform his duties on account of physical or legal causes, or when he is on official leave of absence or on travel outside the territorial jurisdiction of the Republic of the Philippines, the Cordillera Deputy Governor, or if there be none, or in case of his temporary incapacity or refusal to assume office, the Speaker of the Cordillera Assembly, shall exercise the powers, duties and functions of the Cordillera Governor.

Sec. 12. Whenever there is a permanent vacancy in the office of the Cordillera Deputy Governor occurring at least one (1) year before the expiration of his term of office, the Cordillera Assembly shall call a special election to fill the vacancy in the manner prescribed by regional law: Provided, That the Cordillera Deputy Governor elected shall serve only for the unexpired term.

Sec. 13. The Cordillera Assembly shall, at ten o'clock in the morning of the third day after the vacancies in both the offices of Cordillera Governor and Cordillera Deputy Governor occur, convene in accordance with its rules without need of a call and within seven (7) days enact a law calling for a special election to elect a Cordillera Governor and a Cordillera Deputy Governor to be held not earlier than thirty (30) days or later than forty-five (45) days from the time of such call. The bill calling for such special election shall be deemed certified under the applicable law and shall become a law upon its approval on the third reading by the Assembly. Appropriations for the special election shall be charged against any current appropriation. The convening of the Assembly shall not be suspended. Neither shall the special election be postponed. No special election shall be called if the vacancies occur within twelve (12) months immediately preceding the next regional elections.

Sec. 14. The Cordillera Governor, the Cordillera Deputy Governor, and the members of the Cabinet and their assistants shall not, during their tenure, hold any other office except as otherwise provided in this Organic Act, practice any profession, or participate directly or indirectly in any business or be financially interested directly or indirectly in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the Cordillera Government or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including any national or regional government-owned or controlled corporation.

The spouse and relatives by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree of the Cordillera Governor shall not, during his tenure, be appointed members of the regional Cabinet or chairmen of regional commissions, or heads of bureaus or offices, including government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries located in the Autonomous Region.

Sec. 15. The Cordillera Governor shall have control of all executive departments in the Regional Government.

Sec. 16. The Cordillera Governor shall appoint the heads of regional departments, bureaus or offices with the concurrence of the Regional Commission on Appointments. The Cordillera Assembly may, by law, vest in the members of the Cabinet, special courts, heads of agencies, commissions and boards, the power to appoint subordinate officers.

Sec. 17. Any member of the Cabinet may be removed or replaced by the Cordillera Governor at any time, with or without cause. The salaries and emoluments of Cabinet members shall be fixed by regional law which shall not be decreased during their tenure.

Sec. 18. The Cordillera Governor shall address the Cordillera Assembly at the opening of its regular session. He may also appear before it at any other time. The Cordillera Assembly may invite the President and other government officials to address it.