TITLE II abroad and continue to avail of the same right
ELECTIVE OFFICIALS after the effectivity of this Code; and
CHAPTER I
Qualifications and Election
Section 39. Qualifications. -
(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
(g) The insane or feeble-minded.
CHAPTER II
Vacancies and Succession
Section 44. Permanent Vacancies in the Offices of the
Governor, Vice-Governor, Mayor, and Vice-Mayor. –
(a) 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. If a permanent vacancy
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. -
(a) When the governor, city or municipal mayor,
or punong barangay is temporarily
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 automatically exercise
the powers and perform the duties and
functions of the local chief executive concerned,
except the power to appoint, suspend, or
dismiss employees which can only be exercised
if the period of temporary incapacity exceeds
thirty (30) working days.
(b) Said temporary incapacity shall terminate
upon submission to the appropriate 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 that said legal
causes no longer exist.
(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 specify the powers and
functions that the local official concerned shall
exercise in the absence of the local chief
executive except the power to appoint,
suspend, or dismiss employees.
(d) In the event, however, that the local chief
executive concerned fails or refuses to issue
such authorization, the vice-governor, the city
or municipal vice-mayor, or the highest ranking
sangguniang barangay member, as the case
may be, shall have the 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.
(e) Except as provided above, the local chief
executive shall in no case authorize any local
official to assume the powers, duties, and
functions of the office, other than the vice-
governor, the city or municipal vice-mayor, or
the highest ranking sangguniang barangay
member, as the case may be.
CHAPTER III
Local Legislation
Section 53. Quorum. -
(a) A majority of all the members of the
sanggunian who have been elected and
qualified shall constitute a quorum to transact
official business. Should a question of quorum
be raised during a session, the presiding officer
shall immediately proceed to call the roll of the
members and thereafter announce the results.
(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 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.
Section 54. Approval of Ordinances. -
(a) Every ordinance enacted by the
sangguniang panlalawigan, sangguniang
panlungsod, or sangguniang bayan shall be
presented to the provincial governor or city or
 municipal mayor, as the case may be. If the
local chief executive concerned approves the
same, he shall affix his signature on each and
every page thereof; otherwise, he 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 ordinance or resolution effective for
all legal intents and purposes.
(b) The veto shall be communicated by the local
chief executive concerned to the 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) Ordinances enacted by the sangguniang
barangay shall, upon approval by the majority
of all its members, be signed by the punong
barangay.
Section 55. Veto Power of the Local Chief Executive. -
(a) The local chief executive may veto any
ordinance of the sanggunian panlalawigan,
sangguniang panlungsod, or sanggunian bayan
on the ground that it is ultra vires or prejudicial
to the public welfare, stating his reasons
therefor in writing.
Section 399. Lupong Tagapamayapa. -
(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 directing the payment
of money or creating liability. In such a case,
the veto shall not affect the item or items which
are not objected to. The vetoed item or items
shall not take effect unless the sanggunian
overrides the veto in the manner herein
provided; otherwise, the item or items in the
appropriations ordinance of the previous year
corresponding to those vetoed, if any, shall be
deemed reenacted.
(c) The local chief executive may veto an
ordinance or resolution only once. The
sanggunian may override the veto of the local
chief executive concerned by two-thirds (2/3)
vote of all its members, thereby making the
ordinance effective even without the approval of
the local chief executive concerned.
TITLE III.
HUMAN RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT
Section 90. Practice of Profession. -
(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.
CHAPTER VII
Katarungang Pambarangay
(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.
(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 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.

ARTICLE III
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan

Section 467. Composition.

(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.