Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The bill seeks to convert the City of Calbayog, Samar from a component city 
to an independent component city. 
According to Section 12, Article X of the 1987 Constitution, component cities 
whose charters prohibit their voters from voting for provincial elective officials shall 
be independent of the province. Independent component cities are supervised directly 
by the President.  
My office was in receipt of a petition signed by 12,000 qualified voters and 
residents of Calbayog City. The Calbayognons are petitioning for the conversion of the 
City of Calbayog into an independent city from its current status as a component city 
of the Provincial Government of Samar. As their duly elected representative, it is my 
duty to file this measure which was lobbied for by my constituents.  
To quote the same petition, “it cannot be said that Calbayog was truly 
independent since the economic, political, security as well as social and administrative 
control, were fundamentally regulated/ controlled by Samar provincial government.” 
The key considerations in pushing for the conversion to an independent component city 
are the following: 
1. Calbayog City will expect an increase in revenue once it becomes an
independent component city as it will be able to exclusively used its revenue
resources. Currently, the spending of the city is under the supervision of the
Provincial Government.
2. Governance and administration shall be handled by the City Government of
Calbayog with the supervision of the President of the Philippines. As such,
projects proposed by the city government will not pass the Provincial
Development Council. It shall be proposed directly to the Regional
Development Council. Budget review and auditing shall be done by the regional
offices of the Department of Budget and Management and the Commission on
Audit. Moreover, local executive issuances and legislative measures shall not
pass the scrutiny of the provincial government. All reports, financial statements
and other pertinent documents shall be supervised by the national government.
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3. The Calbayog City Government will be able to directly engage with the
Department of the Interior and Local Government.
4. Calbayognons will be able to focus more on the progress and development of
the city as they will not vote for officials from the province.
5. The City Government will be able to supervise its police force and implement
policies which will strengthen and improve the institution.
Ultimately, we are supportive of initiatives which would bolster the autonomy
of our local governments. This would ensure freedom of our local governments in 
managing local affairs. It also promotes decentralization and makes the people more 
accountable for the progress and development of their own communities.  
To the residents of Calbayog City, this is an opportunity for self-determination 
and a way to fully enjoy freedom from interference. In the interest and welfare of the 
people of Calbayog, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
EDGAR MARY S. SARMIENTO 
Representative, 1st District Samar 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento 
AN ACT AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3279 
THEREBY CONVERTING THE CITY OF CALBAYOG, PROVINCE OF 
SAMAR FROM A COMPONENT CITY INTO AN INDEPENDENT 
COMPONENT CITY 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 3279 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“SECTION 2. [Territory of] The Independent Component City of Calbayog – 
The City of Calbayog shall be converted from a component city into an 
independent component city. [which is hereby created, shall comprise of the 
present] Its territorial jurisdiction shall be the present metes and bounds of 
the City of Calbayog which were previously known as [of] the municipalities 
of Calbayog, Oquendo, Tinambacan, in the Province of Samar. 
SECTION 2. Section 36 (c) of Republic Act No. 8528 is hereby deleted. 
SECTION 3. Section 37 (a) of Republic Act No. 3279 is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
“(a) Lands or buildings owned by the Republic of the Philippines [, the Province 
of Samar] or the City of Calbayog, and burying grounds, churches and adjacent 
parsonnages and convents, and lands or buildings used exclusively for religious, 
charitable, scientific, or educational purposes, and not for profit; but such 
exemption shall not extend to lands or buildings held for investment, though 
income therefrom be devoted to religious, charitable, scientific or educational 
purposes.” 
SECTION 4. Section 47 par. 7 of Republic Act No. 3279 is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
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“In the event that the crop is extensively damaged or that a great lowering of 
prices of products is registered in any year or that similar disaster extends 
throughout the [province] city, or for other good and sufficient reason, the 
Municipal Board may, by resolution passed on or before the thirty-first day of 
December of such ever, extend the time for the collection of the tax on real 
estate in the city for a period of not to exceed three months, or remit wholly or 
in part the payment of the tax penalty for the ensuing year, but such resolution 
shall have to specify clearly the grounds for such extension or remission and 
shall not take effect until it shall have been approved by the Department Head.” 
 
SECTION 5. Section 55 of Republic Act No. 3279 is hereby amended to read 
as follows: 
 
“SECTION 55. Notice of seizure of real estate.- Notice of the seizure of real 
estate shall be given by posting notices at the main entrance of the city hall, [the 
provincial capital building,] and all the municipal buildings in the [Province of 
Samar] City of Calbayog, in English [and Spanish] and in the dialect commonly 
used in the locality, and a copy of said notice shall be sent by registered mail to 
the owner of the property subject to seizure. Such notices shall state the name 
of the delinquent person, the date on which such delinquency commenced, the 
amount of taxes and penalties then due, and shall state that unless such taxes 
and penalties are paid within ninety days from the date of publication of such 
notice, the forfeiture of the delinquency real estate to the city government shall 
become absolute.” 
 
SECTION 6. Section 58 of Republic Act No. 3279 is hereby amended to read 
as follows: 
 
“SECTION 58. Notice of sale of real estate at public auction. – At any time 
after the forfeiture of any real estate shall have become absolute, the treasurer, 
pursuant to the rules of procedure promulgated by the Department Head, may 
announce the sale of the real estate seized on account of delinquency for the 
payment of taxes thereon, for the redemption of which no application has been 
filed. Such announcement shall be made by posting a notice for three 
consecutive weeks at the main entrances of the city hall and all the municipal 
buildings of the [province] city, in either English [or Spanish], and in the dialect 
commonly used in the locality, and by publishing the same once a week for 
three consecutive weeks in the newspaper of general circulation in the city. 
Copies of such shall be sent immediately by registered mail to the delinquent 
taxpayer at the latter’s home address, if known, The notice shall state the amount 
of taxes and penalties due, the time and place of sale, the name of the taxpayer 
against whom the taxes are levied, and the appropriate area, the lot number and 
the location by district and street and the street number and district or barrio 
where the real estate to be sold is located.” 
 
SECTION 7. Section 89 of Republic Act No. 8528 is hereby deleted. 
 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause – Republic Act No. 3279 and all law, decrees, 
ordinances, rules or regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent or in conflict with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby expressly repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 


 
 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause – If for any reason any section or provision 
of this Act is declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions 
hereof which are not affected hereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
 
SECTION 10. Effectivity – This Act shall become effective fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
 
Approved.