Republic Act No. 4695

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1

Mountain Province is hereby divided into four provinces, to be known as Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao.

Section 2

The Province of Benguet shall comprise the Subprovince of Benguet and the municipalities of Tuba, Sablan, Itogon, La Trinidad, Tublay, Atok, Bokod, Kabayan, Kapangan, Bakun, Kibungan, Mankayan and Buguias.

Section 3

Mountain Province shall comprise the Subprovince of Bontoc and the municipalities of Barlig, Bauko, Besao, Bontoc, Natonin, Sabangan, Sadanga, Sagada, Tadian and Paracales.

Section 4

The Province of Ifugao shall comprise the Subprovince of Ifugao and the municipalities of Banaue, Lagawe, Hungduan, Kiangan, Lamut, Mayaoyao and Potia.

Section 5

The Province of Kalinga-Apayao shall comprise the Subprovinces of Kalinga and Apayao.

The municipalities of Balbalan, Lubuangan, Pinukpuk, Tabuk, Tanudan, Tinglayan, Quirino and Liwan in the Subprovince of Kalinga shall retain its status as the Subprovince of Kalinga. The municipalities of Luna, Flora, Kabugao, Pudtol, Conner and Bayag in the Subprovince of Apayao shall retain its status as the subprovince of Apayao.

Section 6

The Provincial Capital of the Province of Benguet shall be La Trinidad; that of Mountain Province shall be Bontoc; that of the Province of Ifugao shall be Lagawe; that of the Province of Kalinga-Apayao shall be Tabuk.

Section 7

Except as hereinafter provided, all provisions of law now or hereafter applicable to regular provinces shall apply to the Provinces of Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao.

Section 8

The present elective provincial officers of Mountain Province shall, until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified, be assigned to and perform their duties as such officers in the corresponding province herein created, to which said elective provincial officers belong as a member of the particular tribe or ethnic group inhabiting said province: Provided, That they shall continue to receive the salaries they are receiving at the time of approval of this Act until the new readjustment of salaries, in accordance with existing law. Where the position of provincial governor, in a newly created province, becomes vacant as a consequence of the division herein effected and the incumbent vice governor is assigned to said province in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the law of succession shall apply and the vice governor shall automatically succeed to the position of governor in said province and shall hold office as such until his successor shall have been elected in the election following approval of this Act and shall have qualified. All other elective officers as may be necessary to fill in any of the said provinces shall, for the time being, be appointed by the President of the Philippines, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments, and shall hold office until their successors shall have been elected in the election for provincial and municipal officials following the approval of this Act, and shall have qualified.

Section 9

The present appointive provincial officers and employees of Mountain Province shall likewise perform their respective duties as such in any of the four provinces herein created which they shall individually choose within thirty days from the date of approval hereof; Provided, That they shall continue to receive the salaries they are receiving at the time of approval of this Act until the new readjustment of salaries in accordance with existing law. Such appointive officers and employees as may be necessary to organize, or to complete, the government personnel of either province shall be appointed as provided by law.

Section 10

The incumbent Members of the House of Representatives shall continue to serve the districts in which they were elected until their term of office shall expire, after which each province shall be represented by one Member: Provided, That the City of Baguio shall form part of the representative district of the Province of Benguet.

Section 11

Upon effectivity of this Act, the obligations, funds, assets and other properties of Mountain Province shall be divided equitably among the provinces of Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Auditor General.

Section 12

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 18, 1966.