FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN~Tll 
S.No. 1462 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act No. 7160, also known as the Local Government Code, Section 469 thereof 
provides that."There shall be a Secretary to the Sanggunian who shall be career official with the 
rank and salary equal to a head of department or office. The Civil Service Commission, in 
Resolution No. 92-1111 dated 20 August 1992, interpreted the aforesaid provision to mean that a 
Secretary to the Sanggunian, whether of a municipality, city or province, is not a department 
head but only occupies a position "equal to a head of department or office." 
It is believed that the Secretary to the Sanggunian is the head of the office of the 
Sanggunian, as a separate department of the local government, the Vice-Governor or Vice-
Mayor being the second highest-ranking officer of the entire local government after the 
Governor or Mayor as the caSe may be. To consider the Vice-Governor or Vice-Mayor as a 
department head is tantamount to demoting him in rank and stature as he is assigned a salary 
grade higher than that given a local government department head and is the acknowledged 
assistant chief executive of his local govermuent unit. 
The relegation of the position of a Secretary to the Sanggunian to a level other (han that 
of a department head when all his qualifications, powers, and functions relate to a department 
head lowers his morale as it constitutes a virtual source of discrimination. This bill restitutes the 
position of Secretary (0 the Sangggunian to local government department head. * 
• This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) . 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, ALSO KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
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CODE, ON THE LEVEL OF THE POSITION OF SECRETARY TO THE SANGGUNIAN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Republic Act No. 7160, also known as the Local Government Code, Book 3, 
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Title V, Article 1, Section 469, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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"Section 469. Qualifications, Powers and Duties. - (a) There shall be a 
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secretary to the Sanggunian who shall be a career official with the rank and salary 
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(equal to) of a head of department or office." 
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SECTION 2. Republic Act No. 7160, Book 3, Title VI, Chapter 2, Section 508 is hereby 
, 
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amended to read as follows: 
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"Chapter 2. - Leagues and Federations of Local (Elective) Officials 
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Section 508. Organization. - (a) Vice-governors, vice-mayors, sanggunian 
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members of barangays, municipalities, component cities, highly-urbanized cities 
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and municipalities, and other (elective) officials of local government units, 
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including those of the Metropolitan Manila area and any metropolitan political 
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subdivisions, may form their respective leagues or federation, subject to 
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applicable provisions ofthis title and pertinent provisions of this Code." 
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SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rules or regulations or part thereof, contrary to or 
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inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 4. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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