Republic Act No. 8528

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

Section 1

Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7720 is hereby amended by deleting the words "an independent" thereon so that said Section will read as follows:

Section 2. The City of Santiago

The Municipality of Santiago shall be converted into a component city to be known as the City of Santiago, hereinafter referred to as the City, which shall comprise of the present territory of the Municipality of Santiago, Isabela. The territorial jurisdiction of the City shall be within the present metes and bounds of the Municipality of Santiago.

Section 2. Section 51 of Republic Act No. 7720 is hereby amended deleting the entire section and in its stead substitute the following:

Section 51. Election of Provincial Governor, Vice Governor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members, and Any Elective Provincial Position for the Province of Isabela. - The voters of the City of Santiago shall be qualified to vote in the elections of the Provincial Governor, Vice Governor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and other elective provincial positions of the Province of Isabela, and any such qualified voter can be a candidate for such provincial positions and any elective provincial office.

Section 3. Repealing Clause

All existing laws or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 4. Effectivity

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

(Sgd.) NEPTALI A. GONZALES President of the Senate	(Sgd.) JOSE DE VENECIA JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on January 19, 1998 and February 6, 1998, respectively.

(Sgd.) HEZEL P. GACUTAN Secretary of the Senate	(Sgd.) ROBERTO P. NAZARENO Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: February 14, 1998.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS President of the Philippines