General Provisions - Page 2 of 2

(The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines)

Section 11

The Congress may, by law, create special metropolitan political subdivisions, subject to a plebiscite as set forth in Section 10 hereof.  The component cities and municipalities shall retain their basic autonomy and shall be entitled to their own local executives and legislative assemblies.  The jurisdiction of the metropolitan authority that will hereby be created shall be limited to basic services requiring coordination.

Section 12

Cities that are highly urbanized, as determined by law, and component cities whose charters prohibit their voters from voting for provincial elective officials, shall be independent of the province.  The voters of component cities within a province, whose charters contain no such prohibition, shall not be deprived of their right to vote for elective provincial officials.

Section 13

Local government units may group themselves, consolidate or coordinate their efforts, services, and resources for purposes commonly beneficial to them in accordance with law.

Section 14

The President shall provide for regional development councils and other similar bodies composed of local government officials, regional heads of departments and other government offices, and representatives from non-governmental organizations within the region for purposes of administrative decentralization to strengthen the autonomy of the units therein and to accelerate the economic and social growth and development of the units in the region.

Learn this Filipino word:

mababà ang luhà