Section 39. Qualifications. -
If a permanent vacancy
(a) An elective local official must be a citizen of the Philippines; a registered voter in the
barangay, municipality, city, or province or, in the case of a member of the sangguniang
panlalawigan, sangguniang panlungsod, or sangguniang bayan, the district where he
intends to be elected; a resident therein for at least one (1) year immediately preceding
the day of the election; and able to read and write Filipino or any other local language
or dialect.
(b) Candidates for the position of governor, vice-governor, or member of the
sangguniang panlalawigan, or mayor, vice-mayor or member of the sangguniang
panlungsod of highly urbanized cities must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age on
election day.
(c) Candidates for the position of mayor or vice-mayor of independent component cities,
component cities, or municipalities must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age on
election day.
(d) Candidates for the position of member of the sangguniang panlungsod or
sangguniang bayan must be at least eighteen (18) years of age on election day.
(e) Candidates for the position of punong barangay or member of the sangguniang
barangay must be at least eighteen (18) years of age on election day.
(f) Candidates for the sangguniang kabataan must be at least fifteen (15) years of age
but not more than twenty-one (21) years of age on election day.
Section 40. Disqualifications. - The following persons are disqualified from running for any
elective local position:
(a) Those sentenced by final judgment for an offense involving moral turpitude or for an
offense punishable by one (1) year or more of imprisonment, within two (2) years after
serving sentence;
(b) Those removed from office as a result of an administrative case;
(c) Those convicted by final judgment for violating the oath of allegiance to the Republic;
(d) Those with dual citizenship;
(e) Fugitives from justice in criminal or non-political cases here or abroad;
(f) Permanent residents in a foreign country or those who have acquired the right to
reside abroad and continue to avail of the same right after the effectivity of this Code;
and
(g) The insane or feeble-minded.
Section 44. Permanent Vacancies in the Offices of the Governor, Vice-Governor, Mayor, and
Vice-Mayor. - If a permanent vacancy occurs in the office of the governor or mayor, the vice-
governor or vice-mayor concerned shall become the governor or mayor.
occurs in the offices of the governor, vice-governor, mayor, or vice-mayor, the highest ranking
sanggunian member or, in case of his permanent inability, the second highest ranking sanggunian
member, shall become the governor, vice-governor, mayor or vice-mayor, as the case may be.
Subsequent vacancies in the said office shall be filled automatically by the other sanggunian
members according to their ranking as defined herein.
(b) If a permanent vacancy occurs in the office of the punong barangay, the highest
ranking sanggunian barangay member or, in case of his permanent inability, the second
highest ranking sanggunian member, shall become the punong barangay.
(c) A tie between or among the highest ranking sanggunian members shall be resolved
by the drawing of lots.
(d) The successors as defined herein shall serve only the unexpired terms of their
predecessors.
For purposes of this Chapter, a permanent vacancy arises when an elective local official
fills a higher vacant office, refuses to assume office, fails to qualify, dies, is removed
from office, voluntarily resigns, or is otherwise permanently incapacitated to discharge
the functions of his office.
For purposes of succession as provided in the Chapter, ranking in the sanggunian shall be
determined on the basis of the proportion of votes obtained by each winning candidate to the total
number of registered voters in each district in the immediately preceding local election.
Section 45. Permanent Vacancies in the Sanggunian. -
(a) Permanent vacancies in the sanggunian where automatic succession provided
above do not apply shall be filled by appointment in the following manner:
(1) The President, through the Executive Secretary, in the case of the
sangguniang panlalawigan and the sangguniang panlungsod of highly
urbanized cities and independent component cities;
(2) The governor, in the case of the sangguniang panlungsod of component
cities and the sangguniang bayan;
(3) The city or municipal mayor, in the case of sangguniang barangay, upon
recommendation of the sangguniang barangay concerned.
(b) Except for the sangguniang barangay, only the nominee of the political party under
which the sanggunian member concerned had been elected and whose elevation to the
position next higher in rank created the last vacancy in the sanggunian shall be
appointed in the manner hereinabove provided. The appointee shall come from the
same political party as that of the sanggunian member who caused the vacancy and
shall serve the unexpired term of the vacant office. In the appointment herein mentioned,
a nomination and a certificate of membership of the appointee from the highest official
of the political party concerned are conditions sine qua non, and any appointment
without such nomination and certification shall be null and void ab initio and shall be a
ground for administrative action against the official responsible therefore.
 (c) In case or permanent vacancy is caused by a sanggunian member who does not
belong to any political party, the local chief executive shall, upon recommendation of
the sanggunian concerned, appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy.
(d) In case of vacancy in the representation of the youth and the barangay in the
sanggunian, said vacancy shall be filled automatically by the official next in rank of the
organization concerned.
Section 46. Temporary Vacancy in the Office of the Local Chief Executive. -
to day and may compel the immediate attendance of any member absent without
justifiable cause by designating a member of the sanggunian to be assisted by a
member or members of the police force assigned in the territorial jurisdiction of the local
government unit concerned, to arrest the absent member and present him at the
session.
(c) If there is still no quorum despite the enforcement of the immediately preceding
subsection, no business shall be transacted. The presiding officer, upon proper motion
duly approved by the members present, shall then declare the session adjourned for
lack of quorum.

(a) When the governor, city or municipal mayor, or punong barangay is temporarily
Section 54. Approval of Ordinances. -
incapacitated to perform his duties for physical or legal reasons such as, but not limited
to, leave of absence, travel abroad, and suspension from office, the vice-governor, city
or municipal vice-mayor, or the highest ranking sangguniang barangay member shall (a) Every ordinance enacted by the sangguniang panlalawigan, sangguniang
automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the local chief panlungsod, or sangguniang bayan shall be presented to the provincial governor or city
executive concerned, except the power to appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees or municipal mayor, as the case may be. If the local chief executive concerned approves
which can only be exercised if the period of temporary incapacity exceeds thirty (30) the same, he shall affix his signature on each and every page thereof; otherwise, he
working days. shall veto it and return the same with his objections to the sanggunian, which may
proceed to reconsider the same. The sanggunian concerned may override the veto of
the local chief executive by two-thirds (2/3) vote of all its members, thereby making the
(b) Said temporary incapacity shall terminate upon submission to the appropriate
ordinance or resolution effective for all legal intents and purposes.
sanggunian of a written declaration by the local chief executive concerned that he has
reported back to office. In cases where the temporary incapacity is due to legal causes,
the local chief executive concerned shall also submit necessary documents showing (b) The veto shall be communicated by the local chief executive concerned to the
that said legal causes no longer exist. sanggunian within fifteen (15) days in the case of a province, and ten (10) days in the
case of a city or a municipality; otherwise, the ordinance shall be deemed approved as
if he had signed it.
(c) When the incumbent local chief executive is traveling within the country but outside
his territorial jurisdiction for a period not exceeding three (3) consecutive days, he may
designate in writing the officer-in-charge of the said office. Such authorization shall (c) Ordinances enacted by the sangguniang barangay shall, upon approval by the
specify the powers and functions that the local official concerned shall exercise in the majority of all its members, be signed by the punong barangay.
absence of the local chief executive except the power to appoint, suspend, or dismiss
employees.
Section 55. Veto Power of the Local Chief Executive. -

(d) In the event, however, that the local chief executive concerned fails or refuses to
(a) The local chief executive may veto any ordinance of the sanggunian panlalawigan,
issue such authorization, the vice-governor, the city or municipal vice-mayor, or the
sangguniang panlungsod, or sanggunian bayan on the ground that it is ultra vires or
highest ranking sangguniang barangay member, as the case may be, shall have the
prejudicial to the public welfare, stating his reasons therefor in writing.
right to assume the powers, duties, and functions of the said office on the fourth (4th)
day of absence of the said local chief executive, subject to the limitations provided in
subsection (c) hereof. (b) The local chief executive, except the punong barangay, shall have the power to veto
any particular item or items of an appropriations ordinance, an ordinance or resolution
adopting a local development plan and public investment program, or an ordinance
(e) Except as provided above, the local chief executive shall in no case authorize any
directing the payment of money or creating liability. In such a case, the veto shall not
local official to assume the powers, duties, and functions of the office, other than the
affect the item or items which are not objected to. The vetoed item or items shall not
vice-governor, the city or municipal vice-mayor, or the highest ranking sangguniang
take effect unless the sanggunian overrides the veto in the manner herein provided;
barangay member, as the case may be.
otherwise, the item or items in the appropriations ordinance of the previous year
corresponding to those vetoed, if any, shall be deemed reenacted.
Section 53. Quorum. -
(c) The local chief executive may veto an ordinance or resolution only once. The
(a) A majority of all the members of the sanggunian who have been elected and qualified sanggunian may override the veto of the local chief executive concerned by two-thirds
shall constitute a quorum to transact official business. Should a question of quorum be (2/3) vote of all its members, thereby making the ordinance effective even without the
raised during a session, the presiding officer shall immediately proceed to call the roll approval of the local chief executive concerned.
of the members and thereafter announce the results.
Section 90. Practice of Profession. -
(b) Where there is no quorum, the presiding officer may declare a recess until such time
as a quorum is constituted, or a majority of the members present may adjourn from day
(a) All governors, city and municipal mayors are prohibited from practicing their profession or
engaging in any occupation other than the exercise of their functions as local chief executives.
(b) Sanggunian members may practice their professions, engage in any occupation, or teach in
schools except during session hours: Provided, That sanggunian members who are also members
of the Bar shall not:
(1) Appear as counsel before any court in any civil case wherein a local government
unit or any office, agency, or instrumentality of the government is the adverse party;
(2) Appear as counsel in any criminal case wherein an officer or employee of the
national or local government is accused of an offense committed in relation to his office.
(3) Collect any fee for their appearance in administrative proceedings involving the local
government unit of which he is an official; and
(4) Use property and personnel of the government except when the sanggunian
member concerned is defending the interest of the government.
(c) Doctors of medicine may practice their profession even during official hours of work only on
occasions of emergency: Provided, That the officials concerned do not derive monetary
compensation therefrom.
Section 399. Lupong Tagapamayapa. -
(a) There is hereby created in each barangay a lupong tagapamayapa, hereinafter
referred to as the lupon, composed of the punong barangay, as chairman and ten (10)
to twenty (20) members. The lupon shall be constituted every three (3) years in the
manner provided herein.
(b) Any person actually residing or working, in the barangay, not otherwise expressly
disqualified by law, and possessing integrity, impartiality, independence of mind, sense
of fairness, and reputation for probity, may be appointed a member of the lupon.
(c) A notice to constitute the lupon, which shall include the names of proposed members
who have expressed their willingness to serve, shall be prepared by the punong
barangay within the first fifteen (15) days from the start of his term of office. Such notice
shall be posted in three (3) conspicuous places in the barangay continuously for a period
of not less than three (3) weeks;
(d) The punong barangay, taking into consideration any opposition to the proposed
appointment or any recommendations for appointment as may have been made within
the period of posting, shall within ten (10) days thereafter, appoint as members those
whom he determines to be suitable therefor. Appointments shall be in writing, signed by
the punong barangay, and attested to by the barangay secretary.
(e) The list of appointed members shall be posted in three (3) conspicuous places in the
barangay for the entire duration of their term of office; and
(f) In barangays where majority of the inhabitants are members of indigenous cultural
communities, local systems of settling disputes through their councils of datus or elders
shall be recognized without prejudice to the applicable provisions of this Code.
Section 402. Functions of the Lupon. - The lupon shall:
(a) Exercise administrative supervision over the conciliation panels provided herein;
(b) Meet regularly once a month to provide a forum for exchange of ideas among its
members and the public on matters relevant to the amicable settlement of disputes, and
to enable various conciliation panel members to share with one another their
observations and experiences in effecting speedy resolution of disputes; and
(c) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be
prescribed by law or ordinance.
Section 408. Subject Matter for Amicable Settlement; Exception Thereto. - The lupon of each
barangay shall have authority to bring together the parties actually residing in the same city or
municipality for amicable settlement of all disputes except:
(a) Where one party is the government, or any subdivision or instrumentality thereof;
(b) Where one party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates to the
performance of his official functions;
(c) Offenses punishable by imprisonment exceeding one (1) year or a fine exceeding
Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00);
(d) Offenses where there is no private offended party;
(e) Where the dispute involves real properties located in different cities or municipalities
unless the parties thereto agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement by
an appropriate lupon;
(f) Disputes involving parties who actually reside in barangays of different cities or
municipalities, except where such barangay units adjoin each other and the parties
thereto agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement by an appropriate lupon;
(g) Such other classes of disputes which the President may determine in the interest of
Justice or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice.
The court in which non-criminal cases not falling within the authority of the lupon under
this Code are filed may, at any time before trial motu propio refer the case to the lupon
concerned for amicable settlement.
Section 409. Venue. -
(a) Disputes between persons actually residing in the same barangay shall be brought
for amicable settlement before the lupon of said barangay.
 (b) Those involving actual residents of different barangays within the same city or
municipality shall be brought in the barangay where the respondent or any of the
respondents actually resides, at the election of the complaint.
Section 467. Composition.
(c) All disputes involving real property or any interest therein shall be brought in the
barangay where the real property or the larger portion thereof is situated.
(d) Those arising at the workplace where the contending parties are employed or at the
institution where such parties are enrolled for study, shall be brought in the barangay
where such workplace or institution is located.
Objections to venue shall be raised in the mediation proceedings before the punong
barangay; otherwise, the same shall be deemed waived. Any legal question which may
confront the punong barangay in resolving objections to venue herein referred to may
be submitted to the Secretary of Justice, or his duly designated representative, whose
ruling thereon shall be binding.
Section 415. Appearance of Parties in Person. - In all katarungang pambarangay proceedings,
the parties must appear in person without the assistance of counsel or representative, except for
minors and incompetents who may be assisted by their next-of-kin who are not lawyers.
ARTICLE III
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan
(a) The sangguniang panlalawigan, the legislative body of the province, shall be
composed of the provincial vice-governor as presiding officer, the regular sanggunian
members, the president of the provincial chapter of the liga ng mga barangay, the
president of the panlalawigang pederasyon ng mga sangguniang kabataan, the
president of the provincial federation of sanggunian members of municipalities and
component cities and the sectoral representatives, as members.
(b) In addition thereto, there shall be three (3) sectoral representatives: one (1) from the
women; and as shall be determined by the sanggunian concerned within ninety (90)
days prior to the holding of the local elections, one (1) from the agricultural or industrial
workers; and one (1) from other sectors including the urban poor, indigenous cultural
communities, or disabled persons.
(c) The regular members of the sangguniang panlalawigan and the sectoral
representatives shall be elected in the manner as may be provided for by law.

ARTICLE II
The Provincial Vice-Governor

Section 466. Powers, Duties, and Compensation.

(a) The vice-governor shall:

(1) Be the presiding officer of the sangguniang panlalawigan and sign all
warrants drawn on the provincial treasury for all expenditures appropriated
for the operation of the sangguniang panlalawigan;

(2) Subject to civil service law, rules and regulations, appoint all officials and
employees of the sangguniang panlalawigan, except those whose manner of
appointment is specially provided in this Code;

(3) Assume the office of the governor for the unexpired term of the latter in
the event of permanent vacancy as provided for in Section 44, Book I of this
Code;

(4) Exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the governor
in cases of temporary vacancy as provided for in Section 46, Book I of this
Code; and

(5) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions
as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.

(b) The vice-governor shall receive a monthly compensation corresponding to Salary

Grade twenty-eight (28) as prescribed under R.A. No. 6758 and the implementing
guidelines issued pursuant thereto.