RECEIVED 2)

of

ta)

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4218

Introduced by Representatives MARCELINO C. LIBANAN, CHRISTOPHER SHEEN P.
GONZALES, STEPHEN JAMES T. TAN, REYNOLDS MICHEAL T. TAN, NIKO RAUL
S. DAZA, EDWIN MARINO C. ONGCHUAN

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE SAMAR ISLAND REGION
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Samar Island is unequivocally the third largest island — out of the more than 7,000 islands
— in the Philippines, with an area of 13,428.8 square kilometers. To the north, separated by the San
Bernardino Strait, is the biggest island in the archipelago, Luzon. To the south is its sister island
of Leyte, both islands being linked by the San Juanico Bridge.

Its terrain is composed of rugged mountains, dense forests, and extensive river systems.
Samar has an extensive coastline of 800.6 kilometers of beautiful beaches, bays, and coves.
Composed of three provinces — Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and (Western) Samar - it is also
the seventh most-populous island in the country with a total population of 1,909,537, or a
population density of 140/km?.

The region is very significant to our Philippine History. Magellan first landed in
Homonhon, an island southeast of mainland Samar. A native of Palapag, Northern Samar by the
name of Sumuroy led a revolt against the forced labor of the Spaniards in 1649, a rebellion that
served as an historical inspiration for the Philippine Revolution more than 300 years later.
Samarnons, under General Vicente Lukban, continued to fight the subsequent American
colonizers even after Luzon had surrendered.

In spite of its rich natural resources inland and in the waters surrounding it, Samar has been
neglected by the national government, resulting in poverty and stunted economic development.

‘Access to services provided by national government agencies is severely limited within the
island. Samarnons have to travel to Tacloban, the center of Region VIII, in neighboring Leyte to
process their documents and clearances.


This has to change. To fully harness the potentials of the Island of Samar and its people, it
must stand alone as an administrative region of the country — and, by extension, of the national
government. Creating the One Samar Island Region will enable the island and its populace to
finally throw off the shackles of centuries of neglect and establish the path for self-reliance and
genuine development.

For the above reasons, the early approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

MARCELINO CMLIBANAN

Representative
7 fo
PPHEN JAMES. TAN

4Ps Partylist
District Representative
Samar, 1* District

REYNOLD§ MICHAEL T. TAN, NIKO fel DAZA

District Representative District Representative
‘Samar, 2™ District Northern Samar, 1* District

a

EDWIN ma Conacnuan

District Representative
Northern Samar, 2" District


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill No.42.18

Introduced by Representatives Marcelino C. Libanan, Christopher Sheen P. Gonzales,
Stephen James T. Tan, Reynolds Michael T. Tan, Niko Raul S. Daza, Edwin Marino C
‘Ongehuan

AN
ACT ESTABLISHING THE SAMAR ISLAND REGION AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Samar Island Region Act
of 2025”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is declared a policy of the State that its
territorial and political subdivisions shall enjoy genuine and meaningful local autonomy to
enable them to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities and make them
more effective partners in the attainment of national goals. Toward this end, the State shall
provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through
a system of decentralization whereby local government units shall be given more powers,
authority, responsibilities, and resources. The process of decentralization shall proceed from
the national government to the local government units.

SECTION. 3. Creation of Samar Island Region. The Samar Island Region is hereby
composed of provinces, including cities, municipalities and barangays located in the
provinces of Northern Samar, Samar, and Eastern Samar.

SECTION 4. Samar Island Region Technical Working Group. A Samar Island
Technical Working Group (TWG) is hereby constituted composed of representatives from the
Office of the President, the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of the
Interior and Local Government, the representatives of the Office of the Governor of the
provinces of Northern Samar, Samar and Eastern Samar, and all the elected District
Representatives of the said provinces. The TWG shall formulate strategic plans to put in
place the institutional arrangements for the Samar Island Region, recommend to the Office of



the President the preferred location of the Regional Center; arrange the requirements for the
organizational development, staffing, and budgeting of regional line and regulatory agencies,
as well as the imperatives for development planning and investment programming.

SECTION 5. Department of the Interior of Local Government as Samar Island
Region Secretariat. Notwithstanding the activities of the Samar Island Region TWG, and to
ensure the smooth transition of basic services, the DILG is hereby designated as the
Secretariat of the TWG until the latter has completed its task. The plans and
recommendations of the TWG shall be approved by the President.

SECTION 6. Role of Government Agencies. All departments, bureaus, offices,
agencies, and instrumentalities of the national government, including government-owned or
controlled corporations and government financial institutions, are hereby directed to extend
full assistance to the Samar Island Region-TWG in support of its functions and activities.

SECTION 7. Appropriations. The amount necessary for the initial implementation of
this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the Department of the
Interior and Local Government. Thereafter, such amount shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SECTION. 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,