Republic Act No. 7228

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1

The Municipalities of Alabel, Glan, Maasin, Maitum, Malapatan, Malungon, and Kiamba are hereby segregated from the Province of South Cotabato and constituted into a separate province to be known as Sarangani.  The present Province of South Cotabato minus the territory comprising the municipalities abovementioned shall continue to be known as South Cotabato.

Section 2

Except as otherwise herein provided, all provisions of law now or hereafter applicable to regularly organized provinces shall be applicable to the Province of Sarangani.

Section 3

The provincial capital of Sarangani shall be the Municipality of Alabel, and the capitol building and all other national and provincial offices in the new province shall be established within the government lots thereat.

Section 4

The creation of the Province of Sarangani as provided in this Act shall be subject to the approval of the majority of the votes cast by the voters of the affected areas in a plebiscite to be conducted by the Commission on Elections within one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of the effectivity of the law as provided in Section 10 of the Local Government Code of 1991:  Provided, That, should the voters favor such division, the election of the provincial officials shall be held simultaneously with the forthcoming synchronized national and local elections in May 1992:  Provided,further, That, should such election be not possible, the provincial officials shall be elected in special election to be held within sixty (60) days after the plebiscite.

Section 5

Upon the effectivity of this Act, the obligations, funds, assets and other properties of the present Province of South Cotabato shall be divided proportionately between the Province of South Cotabato and the Province of Sarangani by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Commission on Audit.

Section 6

This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

(Sgd.) NEPTALI A. GONZALES President of the Senate	(Sgd.) RAMON V. MITRA Speaker of the House of Representative
This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on February 3, 1992.
(Sgd.) ANACLETO D. BADOY, JR. Secretary of the Senate	(Sgd.) CAMILO L. SABIO Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: March 16, 1992

(Sgd.) CORAZON C. AQUINO President of the Philippines