Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1540

Introduced by Hon. Robert Ace S. Barbers

AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 386 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160 OR THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to amend Section 386 of Republic Act. No. 7160 or the Local
Government Code of 1991 by providing a limit on the population of a barangay in urban areas
to fifteen thousand (15,000) inhabitants as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority. All
existing barangay in urban areas with a population exceeding 15,000 inhabitants shall be
reapportioned to create additional barangays.

The Local Government Code only provides a minimum requirement of population for
barangay to be created. As the population in the Philippines increases, the number of
inhabitants in each barangay increases as well. The population disparity between barangays
can go from under 1,000 to over 200,000, especially in urban areas.

Consequently, the number of inhabitants requiring barangay assistance varies
significantly. In times of disasters and emergency situations, such as the Covid-19 pandemic,
where barangay officials are expected to be the first responders, barangays with high
population density experienced more difficulties in reaching out to their constituents. The delay
in the delivery of essential services and implementation of social amelioration benefits spelled
chaos to the intended beneficiaries who were left with the choice of either violating the
quarantine rules in search of food and risk getting infected or wait in misery and starve until
the barangay finally finds time to attend to them. The acute lack of resources of the big
barangays left them no choice but to allow the people to wait in line for days to receive relief
Packages or social amelioration benefits, in total disregard of the safety requirements imposed
by the government on physical distancing and wearing of face masks. It likewise brought
undue criticisms to the national government.

Thus, limiting the population barangays in urban areas will bring great relief to both the
local government and the people. Fast and efficient delivery of essential seyvites
governance will result. Implementation of the National ID System
documentation of barangay residents will be much faster and easier.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnd


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 1540

Introduced by Hon. Robert Ace S. Barbers _

AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 386 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160 OR THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991

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

SECTION 1. Section 386 of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government
Code of 1991 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 386. Requisites for Creation. —

(a) A barangay may be created out of a contiguous territory which
has a population of at least two thousand (2,000) inhabitants as
certified by the [National Statistics Office] PHILIPPINE STATISTICS
AUTHORITY except in cities and municipalities within Metro Manila
and other metropolitan political subdivisions or in highly urbanized
cities where such territory shall have a certified population of at least
five thousand (5,000) BUT NOT MORE THAN FIFTEEN
THOUSAND (15,000) inhabitants[:]. ALL EXISTING BARANGAYS
IN CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN METRO MANILA AND
OTHER METROPOLITAN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OR IN
HIGHLY URBANIZED CITIES WITH A POPULATION OF MORE
THAN FIFTEEN THOUSAND (15,000) INHABITANTS SHALL BE
REAPPORTIONED IN ORDER TO CREATE ADDITIONAL
BARANGAYS: Provided, That the creation thereof shall not reduce
the population of the original barangay or barangays to less than the
minimum requirement prescribed herein.

To enhance the delivery of basic services in the indigenous cultural
communities, barangays may be created in such communities by an
Act of Congress, notwithstanding the above requirement.

(b) XXX

(c) XXX

XXX"


SEC. 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances, circulars, rules and
regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SEC. 3. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.