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

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 7647 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. The regular elections for regional governor, regional vice-governor and members of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, shall be held on the second Monday of March, 1993 and every three (3) years thereafter. Their terms of office shall commence at noon of the thirty-first of March next following their election and shall expire at noon of the thirty-first of March three years thereafter pursuant to Republic Act numbered six thousand seven hundred thirty-four, otherwise known as the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. However, for the year nineteen hundred and ninety-six, the elections for regional governor, regional vice-governor and members of the Regional Legislative Assembly shall be held on September 9, 1996. The regional governor, regional vice-governor and the members of the Regional Legislative Assembly elected in nineteen hundred and ninety-six shall assume office at twelve o'clock noon on the thirtieth day of September next following their election: Provided, That the incumbent regional governor, regional vice-governor and the members of the Regional Legislative Assembly shall continue in office in a hold-over capacity until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified unless they file their certificates of candidacy for any elective position therein, in which case, they shall ipso facto be considered resigned from their office: Provided, further, That while acting in a hold-over or appointive capacity, the regional governor and vice-governor shall not make appointments, including promotions, transfers and/or assignments of personnel and shall be subject to all the restrictions and/or prohibitions mandated by Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code more particularly, but not limited to, paragraphs (g); (h); (k); (m); (o); (r); (u); (v); (w); and (x) of said section."

SEC. 2. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and all other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

(Sgd.)  NEPTALI A. GONZALES	(Sgd.) JOSE DE VENECIA, JR.
President of the Senate	Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of the House Bill No. 5585 and Senate Bill No. 1314 was finally passed by the House of Representatives and Senate on December 21, 1995.

(Sgd.) HEZEL P. GACUTAN	(Sgd.) CAMILO L. SABIO
Secretary of the Senate	Secretary General House of Representatives