President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the deputation of the military and the police to Saturday’s plebiscite ratifying the division of Barangay Bagong Silang in Caloocan City into six barangays.
In Memorandum Order 31, he concurred with the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) deputation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and other law enforcement agencies to the plebiscite.
“The foregoing law enforcement agencies and other concerned agencies are hereby directed to coordinate and cooperate with the Comelec in the performance of their duties and functions, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations,” the President said.
Saturday’s plebiscite will ratify Republic Act No. 11993 that Mr. Marcos signed in April. The law provided for the constitution of six more barangays after voters’ approval in a plebiscite.
By dividing Barangay Bagong Silang or Barangay 176 in Caloocan City into six separate barangays, Caloocan City will now have 193 barangays.
The new barangays’ territorial boundaries are the existing phases or “puroks” of the current Barangay Bagong Silang.
The new barangays will be known as: Barangay 176-A, Barangay 176-B, Barangay 176-C, Barangay 176-D, Barangay 176-E and Barangay 176-F.
Interim leaders
Barangay Bagong Silang has an area of 574 hectares and is located in northern Caloocan City.
It is the Philippines’ most populous barangay with a population of 261,729 according to the 2020 census, and accounts for 16 percent of Caloocan City’s population.
READ: Marcos okays deputation of military, police for Aug. 31 Caloocan plebiscite
It was officially founded in 1971 during the term of Mr. Marcos’ father and namesake, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
RA 11993 mandated the appointment of interim barangay officials such as the barangay chairperson, seven members of the Sangguniang Barangay, a Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson, and seven members of the Sangguniang Kabataan in each of the six new barangays.
The interim barangay officials will serve until their duly elected and qualified successors assume office. As to the incumbent officials of Barangay 176, they will continue to hold office until the interim officials are appointed.