WHEREAS, self-reliant communities are a must in line with the intensified governmental development projects geared toward the hastening up of the pace of economic development throughout the country;

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, cultural and economic needs of our people;

WHEREAS, in the execution of said programs, close supervision by local officials is a necessity not only to enhance the development of the areas involved but simultaneously to insure peace and order therein;

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

SECTION 1. Barangays Gatub and Bagong Kahayag, both in the Municipality of Kumalarang and Barangays Lakewood, Bolalawan, Sebugay, Bisuangan, Lokoan, Backing, Dagum, Sapang Pinolis, Tubod, Gasa, Tiwales and Matalang, all in the Municipality of Lapuyan, are hereby detached and separated from their respective municipalities and constituted into a distinct and independent municipality to be known as the Municipality of Lakewood, in the province of Zamboanga del Sur. The seat of government of the newly created municipality shall be in Barangay Lakewood.

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

SEC. 3. The present elective municipal officials of the Municipality of Lanuyan shall continue to perform their duties as such officials in the newly created Municipality of Lakewood until the municipal officials of said municipality shall have been appointed by the President. Such officials so appointed shall hold office until their successors shall have been elected in the regular elections for municipal officials following the issuance of this Decree and shall have qualified, unless sooner removed at the pleasure of the President. Such appointive officers and employees as may be necessary to organize or to complete the government personnel of the Municipality of Lakewood shall be appointed as provided for under existing laws.

SEC. 4. Upon the eifocl;ivity of this Decree, the proportionate share oi' Lakewood in the obligations, funds assets and other properly of the Municipalities of Kumalarang and Lapuyan shall be transferred by the President to the newly created municipality upon the recommendation of the Commission on Audit.

SEC. 5. All laws or parts of laws as well as 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, this 11th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-seven.

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