Philippines: SC declares 16 cityhood laws "constitutional".

Section: General News - The Supreme Court (SC), by a vote of 6-4, reversed on Tuesday its Nov. 18, 2008 ruling and declared as "constitutional" the Cityhood Laws or Republic Acts (RAs) converting 16 municipalities into cities.

In a 35-page ruling, penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, Jr., the SC declared as valid and constitutional Republic Act (RA) Nos. 9389 (Baybay City in Leyte), 9390 (Bogo City in Cebu), 9391 (Catbalogan City in Samar), 9392 (Tandag City in Surigao del Sur), 9393 (Lamitan City in Basilan), 9394 (Borongan City in Samar); RA 9398 (Tayabas City in Quezon), 9404 (Tabuk City in Kalinga), 9405 (Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur), 9407 (Batac City in Ilocos Norte), 9408 (Mati City in Davao Oriental), 9409 (Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental), 9434 (Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte), 9435 (El Salvador City in Misamis Oriental), 9436 (Carcar City in Cebu) and 9491 (Naga City in Cebu).

All cityhood laws, enacted after the effectivity of RA 9009, which increased the income requirement for cityhood from P20 million to P100 million in sec. 450 of the Local Government Code (LGC), explicitly exempt respondent …