Republic of the

DEPARTMETN OF THE INTDBIOK AND COVERNMENT

Franclsco Qold Condominlum II, EDSA
Diliman, Q,uezon

OTFICEOFT}IEWAffi GO\/EruUNlEilT

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22 August 2007

DIRECTOR TORETO T. BHAGWANI

DILG Regional Office No.09
Zamboanga City

Dear Dir. Bhagwani:

ln reply'thereto, may we first lay down tfie pro{isions under BA 7160,

otherwise known as the Local Government Qode, iir relation to RA 8371,
otherwise known as oThe Indigenous Peofrle's lfights Act of 7997,
with regard to the sectoral representatlons in lall Sadggunians at alt levels.
To start wlth, Section 41 (b) and (c) of RA 7160 provides:
*(b) The regular m.embers bf thd so;nggunio;ng
panlabuigan, so;n,gguniang lpanluTtgsod,, a nd
sangganlang bagpn shcll be electeq W dlstrict, le.tt m.qg
be provld,ed for bg lo;u, Sanggunlqng barangag
. ncmhers shcll be elected at large[ Th4 presldents of
the teagues of s&ngguntan membir+ of cotrtponent ctttes
and munlcipalttles shatl seroe as ax-offiqto memhers of
the sa;nggu,n;lo;ng panlo,lawlgan 1 concgrned. The
presid.ents of the liga ng mga I baranlgaU qnd the
pederasgon ng mgq sqngguniang kqho;tc;c;n elected bg
their respectioe chapters, a,s probtded ltn this Code,
sha,ll serae as ex-officio mcmbers 1of thg sctnggunlo,ng
panlal,autlgan, sanggunlang lpanhtptgsod" o;nd
so;tggun;iang bagan.

(c) In qddttion thereto, thFre sltcll be one (7J

seetoral representatlve from the wolinen, qne (7) from the
utorkers, qnd one (1) from ang of the folloutng sectors.'
the urban poor, indigenous culturall commanltles,
disablcd persons, or dng other t sectot cs mcg be
detennlned bg the sanggunlan conqerneQ ulth;ln nlnetg
(9O) dags pt'l.or to the holdtng oI tlil next loeal elections,
as msg be proutded for bg lanp;. ifhe rlorrn.nnC shall
promulgate the rwles and. re{ulfittonsl to effecttwlg
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prouid.e for the ele.ction

lf s{rch sectoral
representatit cs."
With respect to cities, Section 457 ol ltne lopal Government Gode
provides that: i

'SEC. 457. Composition.- (fr] Thp sangguniang

panlungsod,, tlv legtslatirlc bodg af tha cifu, slu.ll be
com[rosed of the ettg uice magor Es prcsldlng officer,
tle regular sanggnrnlqn mcmhersr ltlw ptesldent of the
cttg ehapter of the ltga ng nga batfrngagp the prestdent
of tlv panlungsod na pedersagon hg mgb sa;n'ggun;tang
kc;bato;o;n, qnd tlv sectoral lrepreqentatlues, crt
mcmbe,rs.

(b) In addttion thereb, thdre sharll be three (3)

sectoral repne*ntathtes: one (7) ttam tlle uomcnl o;nd,,
as shctl be determined bg the sd;ngguttlan concerned,
nttthtn ninety (9O) do;gs prtor tu the lwldlng of the bcq.l
ele&lons, one (7) from the dgtf,cnflturo.l or lndustrlal
uorkerq and one (7) from the oth9r sectors, tnchtdlng
the urban poor, lndigenous eulfural lminorities, or
. dlsahled persons.
(c) The regalar memhere lof the sa;nggun;lang
panlungsod and the sectoral reo
(underllnlng oursl
Without first dwelling on RA 8371, whidh is a later law than the Local
Government Code, it ls clear that under Bection 41 (b) of the Local
Government Code, the Sanggunian, in additidn to thp regular and ex-offlclo
members, shall be further composed of 3 sectoral representatlves. lt is
noted that under said provision, the sectors for women and workers are
already assured ol one seat each. With resplect to tha other sectors, such
as the urban poor, indigenous cultural communiti6, dlsabled persons or
any other sector, the Sanggunian shall detefmine Withln nlnety (90) days
prior to the holdlng of the next local elections whichlsector from among the
other sectors shall be represented in their regpectivg Sanggunians.

Section 41 (b) of the Local Governmeht Code has to be reconciled

with Section 457 ol the same Code with respect to rrhe composition of the
Sangguniang Panlungsod. As to the latterr again, lt is provided that in
addition to the regular and ex-officio members of the Sangguniang
Panlungsod, there shall be three (3) seqtoral representatives in the
Sanggunian. What is important to note in $ectlonr457 ol the Code is the
fact that the women sector is assured of one (1) representation, and that
wlth respect to the workers sector, the Sarqguniah is given the option to
determine as to whether the sectoral repreCentatlvp for the workers shall
come from the agrlcultural or industrial wor(grs sec[or.

with respect to the third irebrdl reprbsentative, again, the

Sanggunlan is given the power to deterfiiing from prhich sector, including
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the urban pool,-indigenous cultural
commurrfities o{ disabled persons,
be represented ln ttrE Sanggu;i"n. shall

ln this regard, it bears to emphasize

section 457 (c), it is provioeu that fbrther that under the aforesaid
sangguniang panrungsoo strart. o" the-"i"ior"rrrepresentatives of the
provided for by law. Unfortunately, "l"cteq-ii ,n. manner as may be
yet to pass noweveri as'ot rhis date, Congress
prwrding ror tn" ;;;; has
I in
representatives f"q.the of erecting the se*orar
sanggunrang panruno""a as mandated
Local Government Code. iti" under the
,orld answer whV tt
there are still
19 lgctoral
mafter, as provided
representatives "t "*n at present,
irr al; the Sanggunians, for that
for by the Local Coveinrqeni Cug".
Meantime, on 29 October gBZ1, otherwise
alndlgenous peopre's ?092,_RA known as the
nigrhis Act
into raw. saicr raw toog;irl" tnr. of lggi" wa$ approved and srgned
indigenous people iori"v ir t]rr" rstate in affording rhe
government Sanggunlans aaequatl rrepiesbntations in the rocal
"ot,n'unitJes
at ail levets. prlOi"liv, pursuant to Section
'hub:
Rute tv of rhe tmptementing 6,
mandated thar indigenous peipres Ln-d-iigJhtibns of nR eizr, it rs
s.hail be ,Jiil""n,ed in a[ sanggunrans
at all levels whose representati'ves
shall oe sir!"i"dlin accordance with
customs and tradrtions or the iliiselo];
line, it is noted that it *"" ttt" Nationar
p;il; J;;il;:"ifons the
tni"
corimi#ior{ gT rndigenous peopre
uv raw to lJ.l"
S?i:';"XT"*JIff Rl"oateo "o
yurth rhe-rmprementins

Hence, as rn the cases of the province$

Compostela Vailey where trre ilCfp of Zarnboanga sibugay and
fi"O
the selection of the indigenorc p"opr" "ii""Oy-r""ognized and confirrned
Sanggunians, this Depar{meni repr"ient"tiu"" to their respective
accoded [ts due recognition based
the confirmation issuedty ttre"f""
ttCle. On if"* note.tit bears to emphasizeon
that the assurnption ot it r;-inaigenois
sanggunian need no other turt-rrer ;Jbp;" representative in the
appolntmdni slnoe rhelr assumpgon
the tocar regrsrative body i" to
'''"nJ"rJbt "p"4iLi of r"*. "l

The foregoing discussion considered,

sanggunrans of LGUs at ari ievers We areinow of the,view that.
members, ex-officro members, the
shat'n"-"orrrposed of its regurar
three (g) seciorar rppresentatives per
pertinent provisions of the Locar the
representative from the rndigenous p"opi"'"covernment , bode and - one (r)
6priru4ity per RA g371.
With regard to the sectoral repre$entatiVe
lndigenous peopre, crearry, nn representing the
the NclP is already sutticieni
Gzr ano its-ril'prementing Rures issued
by
enabting ri* io rnstal the indigenous
peoptes representarives rn "tln
the oitrerent a*rr;fi;;; il GiJrrrc "ru':l
Hence, we are of the view that
recognize the asgumpfion oI LIr. there is {o morp regar rmpediment to
T:tmaag ,!itto' t.t ?lltros as the official
rcpresentative or the indigenous peopt"
in"th5';;;ggrfniang panrungsod of
Zamboanga city in view- ,i
irrJ *_[tiiirj;" i#o*
Resion 0e Director, Hon. ceresiino of Nctp
D;;iliiilr;il
"noorsement
12 January 2007, rhar
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Mr. Tilos have fully met the requirements Frovided for by RA gAZl in the
selection procedure as lcc/lp represe{rtative r in tne sangguniang
Panlungsod of Zamboanga Clty.

ln this regard, may we, however, emphasizt rhat the sangguniang

Panlungsod of Zamboanga City has to enaetia Citv brdinance provlOlng toi
the appropriation of city lunds lor the salari0s ano pther emoluments to be
given to the concerned sectoral representatiye.

We hope to have enlightened you on the mattpr.

Very truly yours,

;0,*f^d?
rENE A. PANADERO
undersecre"ylt/
Legal:43/La

cc: TheSangguniangpanlungsod
Thru: The Presiding Oflicer
Zamboanga City

Dlrector Celestlno D. Talpis

National Commission on lndlgenous people
Reglonal Offlc-e No.09
Zamboanga Gity