Municipalities of the Philippines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Municipalities of the Philippines
Municipalities of the Philippines in white
Category	Town (Local government unit)
Location	Philippines
Number	1,493 (as of June 30, 2024)
Possible status	First–sixth class municipalities
Populations	Smallest: 193 (Kalayaan) Largest: 443,954 (Rodriguez)
Areas	Smallest: 1.66 km2 (0.64 sq mi) (Pateros) Largest: 2,188.8 km2 (845.1 sq mi) (Sablayan)
Subdivisions	Barangays

A municipality (also called bayan or munisipalidad) is a type of local government unit (LGU) in the Philippines. Think of it as an official term for a town. It's different from a city, which is another kind of local government.

Provinces of the Philippines are divided into cities and municipalities. These, in turn, are split into smaller areas called barangays, which are like villages. As of June 30, 2024, there are 1,493 municipalities across the Philippines.

A municipal district was an older type of local government area that no longer exists. Some areas started as municipal districts before becoming full municipalities.

History of Philippine Towns

The idea of municipalities in the Philippines began during the Spanish rule. The Spanish government created many towns and villages, similar to those in Spain.

Spanish Era Towns

These towns were often grouped around a main center called a cabecera or poblacion. This center was where the town hall (called ayuntamiento) was located. Only communities that were permanently settled and had become Christian were allowed to form municipalities. Over time, new municipalities were created from parts of older ones, making them smaller. Each municipality was led by a capitan, usually a local leader, who collected money for the government.

American Era Changes

During the American administration, the municipal system continued but became more open to all Filipinos. Municipal districts were first created in 1914 for areas that were not yet fully organized into towns. Many new municipalities were formed during this time, especially in Mindanao.

After the Philippines became independent in 1946, all municipal districts were either absorbed into existing municipalities or turned into new ones. The rules for creating new municipalities were updated in 1991 with the Local Government Code.

What Municipalities Do

Municipalities have some freedom from the national government of the Philippines. This is thanks to the Local Government Code of 1991.

Powers and Responsibilities

• They can create their own local rules and laws.
• They can make sure these laws are followed.
• They can manage their own areas.
• They can sign contracts and handle money through their elected leaders.
• They can also collect taxes.
• The national government helps and watches over local governments to ensure they follow national laws.

Local Government Structure

Local governments, like municipalities, have their own executive and legislative branches. The executive branch carries out laws, and the legislative branch makes them. This separation helps keep things balanced. The judicial branch (courts) for municipalities is the same as the national government's court system.

How a Municipality is Organized

According to the Local Government Code of 1991, a municipality must have certain leaders and staff.

Key Leaders

• Mayor (alkalde): The main leader of the municipal government.
• Vice Mayor (bise alkalde): Helps the mayor and leads the local council.
• Council Members (kagawad): These are members of the legislative branch called the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council).

Important Municipal Staff

Every municipality needs these positions:

• Treasurer
• Assessor
• Accountant
• Budget Officer
• Planning and Development Coordinator
• Engineer / Building Official
• Health Officer
• Civil Registrar
• Municipal Disaster Risks Reduction and Management Officer

Optional Municipal Staff

The mayor can also choose to appoint other staff if needed:

• Administrator
• Legal Officer
• Agriculturist
• Architect
• Information Officer
• Tourism Officer
• Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer
• Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer

Roles of Leaders

The municipal mayor is the chief executive. They set the direction for local policies and help create development plans. These plans need to be approved by the Sangguniang Bayan.

The vice mayor signs important financial documents. They also lead the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council). The vice mayor can appoint members to the municipal legislature, except for the twelve regular council members who are elected. If the mayor is unable to do their job, the vice mayor takes over.

While the vice mayor leads the council meetings, they usually don't vote unless there's a tie. The Sangguniang Bayan proposes laws or ordinances. The mayor can approve or reject these. If the mayor approves, they become local laws. If the mayor doesn't act on a proposal within ten days, it automatically becomes law. If the mayor rejects it, the council can still make it a law if at least two-thirds of its members vote to override the mayor's decision.

Becoming a City

A municipality can become a city if it meets certain requirements, like having enough people and enough income. First, a bill must be passed by the Congress and signed by the President. Then, the people living in the municipality vote in a special election called a plebiscite to decide if they want to become a city. A benefit of becoming a city is getting more money from the government, but taxes are usually higher than in municipalities.

How Municipalities are Classified by Income

Municipalities are grouped into different classes based on how much money they earn each year. This classification helps determine how much funding they receive and what services they can provide.

A new law, Republic Act (RA) No. 11964, was signed in October 2023. It classifies municipalities into five classes based on their average annual income over three years.

Images for kids

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  Map showing municipalities in white

See also

In Spanish: Localidades de Filipinas para niños