WHEREAS, the Tribal Councils and Tribal Datus of Tboli, Ubo, Blaan, Maguindanao, Manubo Blit, Tiruray and Manubo Sdaf in the Province of South Cotabato have expressed their desire to have a municipality of their own which would allow them to retain their own culture and traditional life ways and at the same time bring them within the present frame-work of our legal and governmental system;

WHEREAS, petitions and resolutions to this effect have been received by the Government giving evidence of the concurrence and desire of the leaders and members of these ethnic groups;

WHEREAS, the barrio councils, officials and barangay members of the affected barrios, the municipal councils and officials of the affected municipalities, the Provincial Governor and the members of the provincial board of South Cotabato, as well as responsible private civic organizations, have favorably endorsed these petitions;

WHEREAS, it is the avowed policy of the Government to accord all possible assistance to the minority groups of the country in their quest for self-development and identity as responsible and productive citizens; and

WHEREAS, in order to foster unity, direction and rapid socio economic development among the different minority groups within the areas affected by this Decree, the Government has deemed it imperative to heed their urgent petition that they be given the prerogative of self-government;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution as Commander in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, and Proclamation Nos. 1102 and 1104, both dated January 1 7, 1973, do hereby decree the creation of the Municipality of Tboli in the Province of South Cotabato as follows:

SECTION 1. The following named barrios, sitios and settlements are separated from their respective municipalities, nil in the Province of South Cotabato:

From Surallah — The barrios of Edwards, Sinolan, Halilan, Laconon, Lamcade, Lamdalag, Maculan and New Dumangas, the sitios of Tboli, Lambuling, Afus (Upper Sapali), Datal Tablov, Lem Sene, Lem Hoku, Te Kunil, Lem Lahak, Datal Kamalas, Datal Tabayong and the settlements of North and West Parker, Dumamis, Datal Bob, Blong Kolon, Datal Kampong, Te Henled, Tafal, Datal Lawa, Manubo Blit, Lam-Alo, Southern Lam Laat, Disuwo, Sapu and other places;

From Banga — The barrio of Lam Salome and the settlements of Lefu, Latil and other places;

From Tupi — The barrio of Lambangan and the settlements of Basag, Lem Lago and other places;

From Polomolok — The sitios of Afleik, Upper Bianan, Upper Bentong, Upper Glamang and the settlements of Kebuling, East Parker and other places;

From Maasim — The settlements of Upper Seguil, Lem Labong, South East Parker and other places;

From Kiamba — The settlements of Upper Tambilil River and other places;

From Maitum — The settlements of Anko, Yama, Upper Ned, Kalaong and other places;

The Tasaday-Manubo Blit Reservation (under Presidential Proclamation No. 995), Tboli Reservation (under Presidential Proclamation No. 697);

and the same are constituted into a new and separate municipality, to be known as the Municipality of Tboli in the Province of South Cotabato, with the scat of government at sitio Kematu adjacent to the present Tboli reservation.

SEC. 2. The boundaries of the new Municipality of Tboli shall be as follows:

A tract of land (Municipality of Tboli) located in the Province of South Cotabato which is bounded in the West, from point 1 to 2 by the DAR settlement; bounded in the North from point 2 to 3 by the Province of Cotabato; from point 3 to. 11 by the remaining area of Surallah; from point 11 to 12 by the Municipality of Banga and portion of Tupi; bounded in the North-East and East from point 12 to 13 by the remaining area of Tupi; from point 13 to 14 by remaining area of Polomolok; from point 14 to 15 by portion of Polomolok and General Santos City; bounded on the point 15 to 1 by the Municipalities of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum, all of South Cotabato. Beginning at a point marked "1" on plan which is identical to point “7” of the DAR Settlement plan,

	thence	N.	02°00' E.,	15,750.00	M. to point	2;
	thence	N.	88°30' E.,	7,900.00	M. to point	3;
	thence	S.	52°30' E.,	10,500.00	M. to point	3a;
	thence	N.	30°00' E.,	1,950.00	M. to point	3b;
	thence	N.	70°00' E.,	950.00	M. to point	3c;
	thence	S.	65°30' E.,	2,250.00	M. to point	4;
	thence	S.	59°00' E.,	3,150.00	M. to point	5;
	thence	S.	25°00' W.,	2,600.00	M. to point	6;
	thence	S.	51°30' W.,	3,100.00	M. to point	7;
	thence	S.	01°30' W.,	1,550.00	M. to point	8;
	thence	S.	31°00' E.,	2,850.00	M. to point	9;
	thence	S.	55°00' E.,	4,150.00	M. to point	10;
	thence	N.	56°45' E.,	15,450.00	M. to point	11;
	thence	N.	75°00' E.,	10,050,00	M. to point	12;
	thence	S.	46°30' E.,	6,750.00	M. to point	13;
	thence	S.	40°30' E.,	11,500.00	M. to point	14;
	thence	due South		12,500.00	M. to point	15;
	thence	S.	30°00' W.,	3,200.00	M. to point	16;
	thence	N.	89°00' W.,	23,050.00	M. to point	17;
	thence	N.	62°30' W.,	11,850.00	M. to point	18;
	thence	N.	61°00' W.,	11,650.00	M. to point	19;
	thence	N.	43°00' W.,	16,800.00	M. to point	of

beginning containing an area of One Hundred Thirty Thousand Five Hundred (130,500) hectares, more or less.

SEC. 3. Upon issuance of this Decree, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the President of the Philippines shall appoint the elective officials of the new Municipality who shall hold office until their successors shall have been duly elected in the general elections next following the issuance of this Decree and have qualified, unless sooner removed at the pleasure of the President. Such other appointive officers and employees as may be necessary to organize or to complete the government personnel of the municipality herein created shall be appointed as provided by law.

SEC. 4. All provisions of law now or hereafter applicable to regular municipalities shall be applicable to the Municipality of Tboli.

SEC. 5. Upon effectivity of this Decree, the obligations, funds, assets and other properties of the barrios, settlements, sitios and reservations comprising the new municipality shall be transferred by the President to the Municipality herein created: Provided, That the amount of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000) is hereby appropriated from any fund available in the National Treasury of the Philippines not otherwise appropriated for the initial organization and administration of the new Municipality.

SEC. 6.This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 5th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.