New cities in E. Visayas dismiss cityhood status revival

The officials of the new cities in Eastern Visayas were not concerned about the plan of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) to revive the issue of their cityhood status in the Supreme Court.

“I think, it will not work. The Supreme Court has already issued a final decision on the issue. I don’t think they will reverse again their decision on our cityhood status,” Mayor Coefredo Uy of Catbalogan said on Monday.

Baybay City administrator Deogracias Pertinez said the LCP had the right to seek reconsideration of the high court’s decision.

“But to me, it is an exercise in futility. There is already a final decision rendered by the Supreme Court,” Pertinez said.

The two officials were reacting to reports that the LCP would raise anew the legality of the reclassification of 16 towns into cities now that former Chief Justice Renato Corona had been ousted from his post.

Corona was one of the members of the Supreme Court that on February 15, 2011, ruled “with finality” on the elevation of the 16 towns into cities.

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the cityhood of the 16 municipalities in 2007 but only to reverse itself in 2009.

The creation of the new cities was among those cited in the articles of impeachment against the dismissed Chief Justice.

Aside from the three cities in Eastern Visayas, the new cities are Mati (Davao Oriental); Naga, Bogo and Carcar (Cebu); Tandag (Surigao del Sur); Lamitan (Basilan); Tayabas (Quezon); Tabuk (Kalinga); Bayugan (Agusan del Sur); Batac (Ilocos Norte); Guihulngan (Negros Oriental); Cabadbaran (Agusan del Norte); and El Salvador (Misamis Oriental).

The league, whose president is Mayor Oscar Rodriguez of the City of San Fernando, continued to claim that the 16 new cities failed to meet the qualification for them to be classified as cities, such as having an income of P100 million.

But Mayor Uy said that since Catbalogan became a city in 2007, several investors had come into their area, which resulted in the increase of their income.

He also noted that from having only four “small hotels,” Catbalogan now has eight hotels, and even mall operators like the Gaisano has considered putting up their branch in Catbalogan City.