Amending Sec. 41 (b) of the Local Government Code of 1991 Re: Election of Sanggunian Members

February 25, 1998

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8553

AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 41(B) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991

 Section 41(b) of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"(b) The regular members of the sangguniang panlalawigan, sangguniang panlungsod, and sangguniang bayan shall be elected by district as follows:

"First and second-class provinces shall have ten (10) regular members; third and fourth-class provinces, eight (8); and fifth and sixth-class provinces, six (6): Provided, That in provinces having more than five (5) legislative districts, each district shall have two (2) sangguniang panlalawigan members, without prejudice to the provisions of Section 2 of Republic Act No. 6637. Sangguniang barangay members shall be elected at large. The presidents of the leagues of sanggunian members of component cities and municipalities shall serve as ex officio members of the sangguniang panlalawigan concerned. The presidents of the liga ng mga barangay and the pederasyon ng mga sangguniang kabataan elected by their respective chapters, as provided in this Code, shall serve as ex officio members of the sangguniang panlalawigan, sangguniang panlungsod, and sangguniang bayan."

SECTION 2. Upon the petition of the provincial board, the election for any additional regular member to the sangguniang panlalawigan as provided for under this Act, shall be held not earlier than six (6) months after the May 11, 1998 national and local elections.

SECTION 3. The Commission on Elections shall issue appropriate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 4. All laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, administrative regulations, or part or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved: February 25, 1998

Published in Malaya and Manila Times on March 7, 1998. Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 94 No. 28, 82 Supp., on July 13, 1998.