WHEREAS, to hasten the pace of socio-economic development of the country, especially in Muslim Mindanao area, is a basic objective of the State;

WHEREAS, the primordial aim of development can be best achieved by the creation of local government units which could, through faster administrative response, greatly contribute to the social, educational, cultural and economic needs of the residents of the proposed municipality;

WHEREAS, the creation of the municipality of Lugus in Sulu province will greatly redound to the benefits of the inhabitants therein and greatly contribute to the pacification drive of the government towards normalization in the area;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the Philippines, by virtue of the power in me vested by the Constitutions, do hereby order and decree, as part of the law of the land, the following:

SECTION 1. Barangays Bas-Lugus, Witwit, Bas Numuk, Larap, Mantam, Lugusan, Gapas, Pa-et, Alu Duyung, Laha, Alu, Kayawan, Bas Mangkallay, Kayawan Subah, and Tingkangan, all in the Municipality of Tapul, Province of Sulu, are hereby detached and separated from said Municipality and constituted and created into a separate, distinct and independent municipality to be known as the Municipality of Lugus, Province of Sulu, without effecting in any manner the legal existence of the mother Minicipality shall be in Barangay Alu, and that of the Municipality of Tapul shall be in Barangay Kalang.

SEC. 2. Except as hereinafter provided, all provisions of law, now or hereafter applicable to regular municipalities, shall be applicable to the Municipality of Lugus.

SEC. 3. The present elective municipal officials of the Municipality of Tapul shall continue to perform their duties as such officials in the newly created Municipality of Lugus until the municipal officials of the latter municipality shall have been appointed by the President. Such officials so appointed in the regular elections for municipal officials following the issuance of this Decree and shall have qualified, unless sooner removed, at pleasure, by the President. Such appointive officers and employees personnel of the Municipality of Lugus shall be appointed as provided for under existing laws.

SEC. 4. Upon the effectivity of this Decree, the proportionate share of Lugus in the obligations, funds, assets and other property of the Municipality of Tapul shall be transferred by the President to the newly created municipality upon the recommendation of the Commission of Audit.

SEC.5. All laws or parts of laws as well as all executive orders or regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 6. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, Philippines, this 23rd day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty.

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE
		Presidential Executive Assistant