WHEREAS, Section 452 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7160 or the "Local Government Code of 1991," provides that cities with a minimum population of two hundred thousand (200,000) inhabitants as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and with a latest annual income of at least PhP50 Million based on 1991 constant prices, as certified by the City Treasurer, shall be classified as highly-urbanized cities;

WHEREAS, Section 453 of RA No. 7160 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations provide that it shall be the duty of the President to declare a city as highly-urbanized within thirty (30) days after it shall have met the minimum requirements prescribed in Section 452 of the same Code, upon proper application therefor, and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), within 120 days thereafter, shall conduct a plebiscite in the city proposed to be converted, where the qualified voters therein shall ratify the aforementioned declaration;

WHEREAS, the plebiscite shall be preceded by a comprehensive information campaign to be conducted by the COMELEC with the assistance of national and local government officials, media, non-governmental organizations and other interested parties;

WHEREAS, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Pagadian, through Resolution No. 2020-0586, requested the President to declare the City of Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur as a highly-urbanized city;

WHEREAS, the City of Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur, has met the minimum requirements prescribed under Section 452 of RA No. 7160 for a city to be classified as highly-urbanized, by having a population of 210,452 persons, as certified by the PSA, and an income of PhP270.774 Million, based on 1991 constant prices, as certified by the Department of Finance - Bureau of Local Government Finance; and

WHEREAS, it is a declared policy of the government to support initiatives of local governments to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities, and make them effective partners in the attainment of national goals;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE , President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby proclaim the City of Pagadian as a highly-urbanized city, provided that this Proclamation shall take effect only upon ratification in a plebiscite by the qualified voters therein, as provided for in Section 453 of RA No. 7160.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE , in the City of Manila, this 8th day of November , in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-One.

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

By the President:

(SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA
Executive Secretary