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

SECTION 1. Barrios Carmen, Malibho, Santa Cruz, Pu-yat, Antao, Cancaban and Esperanza in the Municipality of Lanuza, Province of Surigao del Sur, axe separated from said municipality and constituted into a distinct and independent municipality, to be known as the Municipality of Carmen, Samo province.  The seat of government of the new municipality shall be in the present site of Barrio Carmen.

SEC. 2. The new municipality shall acquire corporate existence following a plebiscite held at the national or local elections immediately following the approval of this Act wherein a majority of the qualified voters of seven barrios concerned vote affirmatively in favor of the creation of the new Municipality of Carmen.

SEC. 3. The first officials of the new municipality shall be elected in the next general elections following the plebiscite mentioned in Section two hereof.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, August 16, 1971.