CHAPTER 4

Recharting the Course: 1999-2001

The 1998 local election brought about major
changes in the municipal government of Dasmarias.
Since Mayor Recto Cantimbuhan was no longer
qualified to run for a fourth consecutive term, he
stepped down as the Municipal Mayor in favor of the
mayoralty race winner - Atty. Elpidio Pidi Barzaga.
The contest for the election to the position of the
Municipal Mayor was fought between Atty. Barzaga,
the former OIC Mayor, and Veronica Cantimbuhan,
the wife of former Mayor Cantimbuhan, which the
former won convincingly. In the Vice-Mayoralty race,
Vice Mayor Dino Macayan lost to the uncle of the
former mayor, Luciano Cantimbuhan.
Over at the Sangguniang Bayan, there were only
three former members who managed to get
themselves reelected to their former posts, they
were; SB Members Teofilo B. Lara, Florence C.
Castillo, and Hermenigildo S. Mendoza. The rest of
the members; SB Members Victor T. Carungcong,
Valeriano S. Encabo, Reynaldo Jose A. Campos Jr.,
Fulgencio C. de la Cuesta Jr., and Dominador P.
Alvaran were new in the municipal council. MCLB
President Cresencio S. Encabo and Sangguniang
Kabataan Federation President, Ma. Cristina D. Puyat
joined them to complete the membership of the
newly-elected Sangguniang Bayan.1
In the meantime, the towns population continued
to swell. Students from Metro Manila and neighboring
municipalities kept coming for the towns universities
and colleges. Investors attracted by the expanding
population and convenient location flocked to the
municipality for their business ventures. This
pg. 1

continued expansion of academic and business

activities drew more people for the employment
opportunities it created. All these; the students,
businessmen, employees, and job seekers took up
residence in Dasmarias either permanently or
temporarily, a development that was quietly
welcomed by Dasmarineos. After all, they also
benefitted from it in various ways. Some opened
their homes to boarding students, others put up
businesses themselves, while some got employed by
the various offices and commercial establishments. 2
In the wake of all these, however, followed traffic,
garbage collection, criminality, and a horde of other
problems associated with rapid population growth.
Due to the increased volume of vehicles that new
residents and businesses brought along with them,
Dasmarineos suddenly found themselves having
difficulty moving within and out of the municipality.
They woke up with more garbage which oftentimes
gets uncollected. It also appeared that even those
with criminal minds were attracted by the towns
economic surge. It resulted to the rise in criminal
incidents especially those committed against persons
and properties. This inevitably exposed the towns
aging system for the delivery of basic services. The
new scenario was tersely explained by Congressman
Barzaga when he said that, Dasmarias in 1998 was
a town with big city problems but was handicapped
by the resources of a municipality.3
One of the problems besetting the town was its
lack of modern and efficient traffic management
system. A lot needed to be done in this regard; main
roads needed to be widened, new routes within and
on the fringes of the town have to be established,
more enforcers have to be hired and trained, traffic
light should be installed, walkways needed to be
constructed, and so on and so forth.
pg. 2

The garbage collection system also needed to be

reinforced with additional garbage collectors and
garbage compactors. The towns police force, faced
with the challenges of containing a deteriorating
peace and order situation, was rendered almost
helpless because it was sorely lacking the manpower
and equipment required to better deal with the
towns security problems.
These were the challenges that stared the newly
installed municipal administration straight in the
face. If they failed to properly address them, all the
gains that the town has so far achieved would all
been for naught. But success in handling these
problems depended for the most part on the
availability of funds which unfortunately the
municipality at that time sorely lacked. They needed
the funds to set up more social services, put up
better infrastructures, and more efficient equipment.
So when they took over the reins of municipal
administration, they revived the proposal to convert
the Dasmarias into a city. They were confident that
the expected additional funds to be realized with
cityhood once made available, would be used to
remedy these problems.
The new Municipal Mayor, who was also born and
raised in Dasmarias and a lawyer-accountant to
boot, was not new to the task of administering the
town. In what would be his first foray into politics, he
was appointed as the OIC Mayor of the Municipality
of Dasmarias in 1986 by then President Corazon C.
Aquino. He served in that capacity until 1989. When
asked about his participation in the 1995 cityhood
attempt, he admitted that he was not in any way
involved and in fact opposed it as a private citizen
and a resident of the municipality because he
believed that Dasmarias was not ready for cityhood
at that time. He also believed that the whole exercise
pg. 3

was politically motivated and that it was launched to

allow then Mayor Recto Cantimbuhan to run as the
representative of the legislative district that would
have been created upon the conversion of the town
into a city.4
In 1998, however, it became apparent to the
Mayor and other municipal officials that the best
solution to the problems faced by the municipality
was its conversion into a city. The towns chief
executive promptly changed his resolve and
spearheaded the second attempt for cityhood.
Resuming the Cityhood Debates
SB Member Teofilo B. Lara revived the cityhood
issue during the 33rd regular session of the
Sangguniang Bayan on September 13, 1999. This
marked the beginning of the renewed debates on the
subject. It should be remembered that SB Member
Lara was one of the five members of the past
Sangguniang Bayan who abstained from voting on
the SB Resolution No. 124-s-95 in 1995.
Having changed his mind about cityhood, SB
Member Lara explained that converting the
municipality to a city would double its present
budget. In which case, the administration would have
more money to spend for the benefits of its
residents, in particular for the benefit of those in the
resettlement areas. He also said that with its
upgraded status as a city, town would no longer be
part of the second district of Cavite and become a
separate congressional district. This would entitle
Dasmarias to its own representation in the House of
Representatives. With this arrangement the interests
of Dasmarias would be better served and taken care
of in addition to the representatives discretionary
funds that would ultimately be spent for the benefit
of the city. In view of this, SB Member Lara declared
pg. 4

that the towns vision on cityhood is one that needed

to be realized.5
SB Laras explanation during the opening of the
cityhood debates did not convince all members of
the Sanggunian Bayan. There were those like SB
Members Fulgencio de la Cuesta, Jr., Ma. Cristina D.
Puyat and Reynaldo Jose A. Campos, Jr., who opposed
him and moved to have the subject proposal studied
further.
For her part, SB Member Florence C. Castillo
insisted that in order to convince the towns
residents to support cityhood, the council should
present more compelling reasons and not just rehash
of
the
justifications
offered
by
the
past
administration. Otherwise, she said, huge billboards
would again materialize all over the town with
messages declaring the peoples opposition to the
proposal.
Kagawad Castillo was adamant in claiming that
the problems the residents complained of in those
billboards should be addressed by the council first
before they embarked on a renewed push for
cityhood. This meant that garbage would have to be
collected, traffic eased, the putrid smell emanating
from commercial poultries and piggeries had to be
stopped, and drug addiction and trafficking
eradicated. At that point, she was not really sure
whether or not cityhood was the answer to those
problems.
SB Member Valeriano S. Encabo replied that the
concerns aired by SB Member Castillo were exactly
the reasons why cityhood for Dasmarias has to be
vigorously
pursued
and
supported
by
the
Sangguniang Bayan. According to him there were, at
present, a number of planned projects that were not
carried out by the municipal government due to lack
pg. 5

of funds. He insisted that once cityhood is attained

and the expected additional funding is realized,
Dasmarias would be able to finance the acquisition
of equipment and construction of infrastructures that
would better address those problems of uncompleted
projects, garbage, traffic, and peace and order.
Noting that the subject being discussed cannot be
presented for a committee hearing because it had
not been presented as a resolution, SB Member Lara
moved that it should be included in the agenda as
the proposed cityhood of Dasmarias for further
study. The result of that study would then be
presented to the Sanggunian in order to determine a
consensus, he said. With his motion approved, SB
Member Lara requested the Sangguniang Bayan
Secretary to update the council on the status of SB
Resolution No. 125-s-95 of September 28, 1995.
The Sangguniang Bayan Secretary did as directed
and reported that Congressman Renato P. Dragon
endorsed a bill in the House of Representatives in
1997. According to the Secretary, House Bill No. 8931
which was entitled An act converting the
Municipality of Dasmarias into a Component City to
be known as the City of Dasmarias was approved
in the House of Representatives but was rejected in
the Senate.
The reason for the bills failure was the informal
rule among Senators which says that bills of local
application required the approval of a Senator from
that locality. Senator Ramon Bautista Sr., refused to
approve it because House Bill No. 8931 would
convert Dasmarias into a city ahead of his favorite
municipalities, Bacoor and Imus. She informed the
council that her office would review the checklist of
requirements for cityhood in order to make sure that
the Sanggunian was updated for its plan to launch
again the lobby for the conversion of Dasmarias.6
pg. 6

No More Delays
Twelve days later on the September 25, 1999,
during the 35th regular session of the Sangguniang
Bayan, SB Member Teofilo B. Lara declared that he
was ready to submit the results of the study that was
conducted on the subject. He believed that the time
has come for Dasmarias to realize its vision of
cityhood for it had been more than qualified for the
longest time. He wanted it accomplished as soon as
possible so that the town could already start
receiving the benefits pertaining to a city. He also
advised his colleagues not to delay any longer
because
each
delay
represented
missed
opportunities for the municipality.
With this admonition, SB Member Lara presented
the resolution that he prepared and recommend that
the matter be immediately referred to the proper
committee for further study and subsequent
recommendations.
The
Vice
Mayor
Luciano
Cantimbuhan then referred the resolution to the
committee properly authorized to deliberate on its
merits and demerits - the Committee on Rules and
Privileges.7
While in the Committee on Rules and Privileges of
the Sangguniang Bayan, the resolution was
subjected into another round of questioning and
debates. However, unlike like the first attempt, the
second attempt did not encounter so much
opposition. The problem of the separation and the
conversion into a municipality of the Dasmarias
Bagong Bayan has already been disposed of. The
question on the increase in the real estate,
commercial, and industrial taxes have already been
resolved to the satisfaction of the oppositors in the
past administration.
pg. 7

There was really nothing anymore left to be

discussed on the subject, thus during the next
Sangguniang Bayan session on October 4, 1999, the
resolution was again presented to the council. SB
Member Lara moved for its approval declaring that
he was satisfied with the thorough discussions of the
Committee on Rules and Privileges on the matter.
With this, he said, the council members have more
than enough information on which to base their votes
on. In the division of the house that followed, there
was not a single opposition. SB Resolution No. 160-s99 was unanimously approved that day.8
It was not only the Dasmarineos, however, who
saw the need for Dasmarias conversion into a city.
The plan had an ardent supporter in its congressional
representative, Congressman Ireneo Ayong Maliksi.
Congressman Maliksi allied himself with the cityhood
proponents despite the fact that he and Dasmarias
Mayor Pidi Barzaga belonged to opposing political
parties.9 So it came to pass that even before the
Dasmarias Sangguniang Bayan debated on the
resolution to request him to sponsor a cityhood bill,
he had the draft bill prepared and then filed by the
lower houses Bills and Index Division on May 7,
1999.
Congressman Maliksi was able to convince Cavite
Congressmen Napoleon R. Beratio and Plaridel M.
Abaya to co-author the bill with him. The draft of the
bill which came to be known as House Bill No. 7478,
was reproduced later on and distributed to all
members of the lower house for the first reading on
May 13, 1999. On that very same day it was referred
to the House of Representatives Committee on Local
Government which was then headed by the
congressman of the lone district of Marikina, Hon.
Romeo D.C. Candazo. The whole process took place
pg. 8

during the first regular session of the Eleventh

Congress.10
Preparing the Bill the Second Time
House Bill No. 7478, just like the first one, was to
become the City Charter once approved. It was also
drafted in accordance with the guidelines prescribed
by the Local Government Code of 1991. Some
revisions, however, were made in order to
accommodate updates on some provisions and
reflect the new realities of Dasmarias at that time.
For the same reason, some provisions were also
added. The explanatory note, for example, which
declared that the objectives of the bill was to
facilitating its growth and enable the municipality to
keep up with the demands of the times added that
greater autonomy as a result of cityhood would also
contribute in catalyzing growth and development in
the entire province of Cavite.
When in 1997 the municipal income was P86
million, the new house bill declared it to be P120
million. It explained that the increase was due to
recent impositions in the tax revenue measures and
was projected to reach P200 million the following
year. A new population figure was also used and
showed that it had increased to 300,000 more or
less. House Bill No. 8931 made use of the 1995
National Statistics Office data of 262,406.11
The draft bill contained nine (9) articles and fiftynine (59) sections in its thirty-one (31) pages.
However, unlike the HBN 8931, the new bill skipped
the provision on the Declaration of Policies and
Principles and began with the General Provisions
which listed the corporate and general powers of the
City, its liability for damages, and jurisdiction.

pg. 9

Article II; Section 7 (b) of the proposed City

Charter provided for the creation of the position of
the City Agriculturist. This position which was
omitted in House Bill No. 8931 was an appointive
one. The City Agriculturist was tasked to provide
technical assistance and support to the City Mayor in
ensuring the delivery of basic services and providing
of adequate facilities relative to agricultural services
and develop plans and strategies and implement the
same, particularly those which have to do with
agricultural programs and projects of the city.
Another important revision in the new City Charter
was on the provision which lowered the age
qualification of candidates who wanted to pursue the
positions of the City Mayor and the City Vice-Mayor.
Section 8 (a) (1) set the age qualification to twenty
one (21) years old two years younger that the
twenty three (23) years old indicated in House Bill
No. 8931.
The next significant revisions were contained in
Section 17 which was entitled Review of City
Ordinance by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. It
contained four subsections detailing the procedure to
be used by the Cavite Sangguniang Panlalawigan in
reviewing the ordinances passed by the Dasmarias
Sangguniang Panlungsod. These were important
additions because as a component city, Dasmarias
would remain under the administrative supervision of
the provincial government, and part of that
supervision involved the review of its ordinances by
the Provincial Government.
According to Section 17 (a), the legislative acts by
the Dasmarias Sangguniang Panlungsod that were
to be reviewed by the provincial council included
ordinances
and
resolutions,
the
approve
development plans, and public investment. In this
review process [Section 17 (b)], these resolutions,
pg. 10

ordinances, development plans, and investment

plans should be sent to the office of the Provincial
Attorney or the Provincial Prosecutor who would
examine them. After which the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan would be duly informed in writing of the
comments or recommendations. Guided by these,
the Sangguniang Panlalawigan would then decide
whether or not the subject ordinance or resolutions
were within the power of the Dasmarias
Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass or approve.
In any case, per Section 17 (c), the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan should declare as either valid or invalid
in whole or in part such ordinance or resolution. It
also required the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to enter
its action in the minutes of its meeting after which it
should advise the Dasmarias City authorities of the
action it had taken. Failing to do that, the subject
ordinance or resolution, as provided for in Section 17
(d), shall be presumed consistent with law and
therefore valid if no action has been taken by the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan within thirty (30) days
after its initial submission.
Another provision which further demonstrated the
provincial government administrative control over
the would-be city of Dasmarias was, Article IX
Section 50, entitled Transitory and Final Provisions.
This part of the proposed City Charter allowed
qualified voters of the City of Dasmarias to vote and
run for any elective position in the elections for
Provincial
Governor,
Provincial
Vice-Governor,
Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and other
elective offices for the Province of Cavite.
Section 55 of the same article, affirmed the
suspension of increase in rates of local taxes. This
declaration was incorporate in the new bill to allay
the fear of Dasmarias residents who opposed
cityhood for this reason. The provision stated that
pg. 11

the city council could not impose increase in the

rates of local taxes within the period of five (5) years
from its acquisition of corporate existence.
Further revisions were incorporated in the new
house bill; specifically the provisions of Section 23 (a)
(1-4) regarding cases of permanent vacancy wherein
automatic
succession
by
members
of
the
Sangguniang Panlungsod does not apply. The
provision declared that it would no longer be
necessary to have the President of the Philippines,
through the Executive Secretary, to make such
appointment as provided for in House Bill No. 8931.
The appointment to the vacant position by the
Provincial Governor would suffice.
Framers of the proposed City Charter believed
that the appointive positions of the Secretary of the
Sangguniang Panlungsod and that of the City
Treasurer required a candidate with higher
educational attainment, so in Article VII, Section 25
and 26, they raised the educational requirement a
bachelor degree to a masters degree in the fields of
law, commerce, or public administration. In view of
this, they decided in Section 27 (b), to shorten the
required length of related work experience from the
original five (5) years to three (3) years.
There were also cases wherein the proposed City
Charter expanded the duties and responsibilities of
appointive city officials. In the case of the City
Planning and Development Coordinator, for instance,
it powers were expanded by Section 32 (c) (8), to
include the authority to exercise supervision and
control over the secretariat of the Local Development
Council.
The duties and functions of the City Health Officer
were likewise expanded in Section 34 (c). They now
included; the formulation and implementation of
pg. 12

policies, plans and projects to promote the health of

the people of the city; the giving of advice to the City
Mayor and the Sangguniang Panlungsod on matters
pertaining to health; the execution and enforcement
of all laws, ordinances and regulations relating to
public health; giving of recommendations to the
Sangguniang Panlungsod through the Local Health
Board the passage of ordinances deemed necessary
for the preservation of public health; the giving of
recommendations on the prosecution of any violation
of sanitary laws, ordinances or regulation; directing
the sanitary inspection of all business establishment
selling food items or providing accommodation such
as hotels, motels, lodging houses, pension houses,
and the like, in accordance with the Sanitation Code;
the conduct of health information campaigns and
rendition of health intelligence services; and the
coordination with other governmental organization
involved in the promotion and delivery of health
services.
Committee Report No. 648
Heavy amendments were carried out by the
House Committee on Local Government on House Bill
No. 7478. It was then necessary to prepare and
submit a substitute bill that incorporated all the
amendments to the original bill and was numbered
House Bill No. 9883. In addition to the revisions that
were already incorporated by the framers of House
Bill No. 7478, committee members revised the bill so
that their names could be included as its sponsors
(See, Figure 3).
After its deliberation on the merits of the proposed
City Charter, the Committee on Local Government
submitted Committee Report No. 648 on March 13,
2000 which recommended the approval of House Bill
No. 9883 in substitution of House Bill No. 7478.
pg. 13

The following were the revisions effected by the

House Committee on Local Government when it took
up for consideration House Bill No. 7478:
It defined, in Article I Section 2, the territorial
jurisdiction of the City of Dasmarias in metes and
bounds indicated in lines, bearings, and distances in
square kilometers.
The committee inserted Section 9 (a) that
downgraded the monthly compensation of the City
Vice-Mayor to salary grade twenty-six (26) from
salary grade twenty-eight (28); and in Section 9 (b)
(2) expanded his appointive power to include
employees of the individual members of the
Sangguniang Panlungsod and not just the position of
the Sanggunian Secretary.
It inserted, a Section 24 (d) of the proposed City
Charger, a provision which required the City Mayor to
designate in writing an officer-in-charge in case of he
would be temporarily absent for a period not
exceeding three (3) days. If the City Mayor failed to
do as directed, the new provision authorized the City
Vice-Mayor to assume on the fourth day of absence
of the City Mayor, the latters powers, duties and
functions. The amended provision stated further that
the City Mayor should not authorize any local official
other than the City Vice-Mayor from assuming his
duties and functions in the case of the described
temporary absence.
The Committee also made provisions in Section 10
(l) that authorized the City Mayor to engage the
services of private counsels who should render legal
assistance to city and barangay officials including
members of the city police force. This legal service
should be made available to these city officials and
employees in case they have to initiate judicial
proceedings or to defend themselves against legal
pg. 14

prosecution for their actions done in the performance

of official duties.
While House Bill No. 8931 was silent on the
number regular members of the Sangguniang
Panlungsod, the substitute bill House Bill No. 9883, in
Section 10 stated that it should be sixteen (16). The
composition of the city council according to this
provision should include the City Vice-Mayor, the ten
(10) regular members, the President of the Liga ng
mga Barangay, the President of the Panlungsod na
Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan, and
three sectoral representatives. The womens group
had one representation, another from the agricultural
and industrial workers, and the third should come
from other sectors representing the urban poor,
indigenous cultural communities, or the disabled.
The substitute bill, in Section 25 (a), removed the
masters degree requirement as part of the
educational qualifications for the positions of
Secretary of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and
likewise, in Section 26 (c), for the position of the City
Treasurer.
They assigned additional duties and functions
were assigned, in Section 35 (d) to the position of the
City Civil Registrar. They now included; the
acceptance of all registrable documents and judicial
decrees affecting the civil status of city residents; the
filing, keeping, and preserving in a secure place the
books required by law; the transcription and entry of
all registrable documents and judicial decrees
affecting the civil status of persons in the appropriate
civil registry books immediately upon receipt of these
documents; the transmittal of the duplicate copies of
registered documents required by law to the Office of
the Civil Registrar-General within the prescribed
period; issuance of certified transcripts or copies of
any certificate or registered documents upon
pg. 15

payment of the required fees to the treasurer; the

receipt of applications for the issuance of marriage
license and, after the determination of compliance
with the requirements and supporting certificates
and publication within the prescribed period,
issuance of the license upon payment of authorized
fees to the treasurer; and coordinating with the
National Statistics Office the conduct of educational
campaigns for vital registration and assist in the
preparation of demographic and other statistics for
the City of Dasmarias.
In Section 36 (a) of the proposed City Charter, the
Committee has determined that the term of office of
the City Administrator should be coterminus with
that of his appointing authority. The Committee also
amended the positions duties and functions and
mandated it to; assist the City Mayor in coordinating
the works of all the officials of the City and was
authorized to convene the chiefs of offices and other
officials of the City; establish and maintain a sound
personnel program for the City that was designed to
promote career development and uphold the merit
principle in the local government service; conduct a
continuing organizational development of the City
with
the
objective
of
instituting
effective
administrative reforms.
The term of office of the City Legal Officer was
likewise amended in Section 37 (d) and made it also
coterminus with that of his appointing officer. The
Committee inserted additional provisions, Section 37
(d) (3), giving the City Legal Officer more duties and
functions. These additional responsibilities now
included; representing the City in all civil actions and
special proceedings wherein the City or any official,
in his official capacity is involved in actions or
proceedings against the provincial government or to
another component city or municipality; when
pg. 16

required by the City Mayor or Sangguniang

Panlungsod, the drafting of ordinances, contracts,
bonds, leases and other instruments involving any
interest of the City and providing his comments and
recommendations on these drafts; rendering his
opinion in writing on any question of law when
requested to do so by the City Mayor or Sanggunian;
investigating any local official or employee for
administrative neglect or misconduct in office and
recommending the appropriate action to the City
Mayor or Sanggunian; when directed by City Mayor
or Sanggunian, initiating and prosecuting, in the
interest of the City, any civil action on any bond,
lease or any contract upon any breach or violation
thereof; reviewing and submitting recommendations
on ordinances approved and executive orders issued
by the Citys component units.
The committee also inserted additional duties and
functions for the following appointive city officials:
City Veterinarian, Section 39 (c) (3); advise the
city mayor on all matters pertaining to the slaughter
of animals for human consumption and the
regulation of slaughter houses; regulate the keeping
of domestic animals; regulate and inspect poultry,
milk and dairy products for public consumption;
enforce all laws and regulations for the prevention of
cruelty of animals; take the necessary measures to
eradicate, prevent or cure all forms of animal
diseases.
City General Services Officer, Section 40 (c) (3);
take custody of and be accountable for all properties,
real or personal, owned by the City, including those
that were granted to it in the form of donation,
reparation, assistance and counterpart joint projects;
with the approval of the City Mayor assign building or
land space to local officials or other public officials,
who by law, are entitled to space; recommend to the
pg. 17

City Mayor the reasonable rental rates for local

government properties, whether real or personal,
which will be leased to public or private entities by
the local government; recommend to the city mayor
reasonable rental rates of private properties which
may be leased for the official use of the city;
maintain
and
supervise
janitorial,
security,
landscaping and other related services in all local
government public buildings and other real property,
whether owned or leased by the City; collate and
disseminate information regarding prices, shipping
and other costs of supplies and other items
commonly used by the City; perform archival and
record management with respect to records of offices
and departments of the City; perform all other
functions pertaining to supply and property
management heretofore performed by the local
government treasurer and enforce policies on records
creation, maintenance, and disposal.
City Agriculturist, Section 41 (c) (3); ensure that
maximum assistance and access to resources in the
production, processing and marketing of agricultural
and aqua-cultural and marine products are extended
to farmers, fishermen and local entrepreneurs;
conduct or cause to be conducted location-specific
agricultural researches and assist in making available
the appropriate technology arising out of and
disseminating information on basic research on
crops, prevention and control of plant diseases and
pests, and other agricultural matters which will
maximize productivity; assist the City Mayor in the
establishment
and
extension
services
of
demonstration farms or aqua-culture marine
products; enforce rules and regulations relating to
agriculture and aqua-culture; coordinate with
government
agencies
and
non-governmental
organizations which promote agricultural productivity
pg. 18

through appropriate technology

environmental integrity.

compatible

with

City Environment and Natural Resources Officer,

Section 42 (c) (3); establish, maintain, protect, and
preserve communal forests, watershed, tree parks,
mangroves, greenbelts, commercial forests and
similar forest projects like industrial tree farms and
agro-forestry projects; provide extension services to
beneficiaries of forest development projects and
render assistance for natural resources related
conservation and utilization activities consistent with
ecological balance; promote the small-scale mining
and utilization of mineral resources, particularly
mining of gold; coordinate with government agencies
and
non-governmental
organizations
in
the
implementation of measures to prevent and control
land, air and water pollution with the assistance of
the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources.
City Architect, Section 43 (c) (3); prepare and
recommend for consideration of the Sangguniang
Panlungsod the architectural plan and design for the
City or a part thereof, including the renewal of slums
and blighted areas, land reclamation activities, the
greening of land, and appropriate planning of marine
and foreshore areas; review and recommend for
appropriate action of the Sangguniang Panlungsod or
City Mayor as the case maybe, the agricultural plan
and design submitted by governmental and nongovernmental entities or individuals, particularly
those for undeveloped, underdeveloped, and poorly
designed areas; coordinate with government and
non-government entities and individuals involved in
the aesthetics and the maximum utilization of the
land and water within the jurisdiction of the City,
compatible with environmental integrity and
ecological balance.
pg. 19

City Information Officer, Section 44 (c) (3); provide

relevant, adequate, and timely information to the
City and its residents; furnish information and data
on the City to government agencies or offices as may
be required by law or ordinance; and nongovernmental organizations to be furnished to said
agencies and organizations; maintain effective liaison
with the various sectors of the community on
matters and issues that affect the livelihood and the
quality of life of the inhabitants and encourage
support for programs of the local and national
government. The Committee also made changes to
raise the number of years experience in writing
articles and research papers, or writing for print,
television, or broadcast media from three (3) years to
five (5) years.
City Cooperative Officer, Section 45 (c) (3); assist
in the organization of cooperatives; to provide
technical and other forms of assistance to existing
cooperatives to enhance their viability as an
economic enterprise and social organization; to assist
cooperatives
in
establishing
linkages
with
government
agencies
and
non-government
organizations involved in the promotion and
integration of the concept of cooperatives in the
livelihood of the people and other community
activities.
City Population Officer, Section 46 (c) (3); assist
the city mayor in the implementation of the
Constitutional provision relative to population
development and the promotion of responsible
parenthood; establish and maintain an updated data
bank for program operations, development planning
and an educational program to ensure the peoples
participation in and understanding of population
development;
implement
appropriate
training
pg. 20

programs responsive to the cultural heritage of the

inhabitants.
One very important provision that the Committee
added in House Bill No. 9883 was Section 58 which
directed the creation of a legislative district for the
City of Dasmarias upon its conversion into a
component city. This was purposely omitted in House
Bill No. 8931 to deflect allegations that it would favor
former Mayor Recto Cantimbuhan. The election of the
first representative was slated by the proposed City
Charter to be held on the next national elections
following its passage in 2001.
Period of Debates and Amendments
The Committee Report No. 648 on House Bill No.
9883 was considered on second reading during the
plenary session of the House of Representatives on
March 15, 2000. The presiding officer, Representative
Albano of Isabela, directed the Secretary General to
read the title of the measure. It was followed by a
motion from Representative Neptali Gonzales of
Mandaluyong that the Explanatory Note of the House
Bill by Congressmen Ayong Maliksi, Napoleon Beratio,
and Plaridel Abaya, be considered as the sponsorship
of the bill. When the presiding officer asked for any
objection and there was none, the motion was
approved.
Congressman Gonzales then moved that the
period of sponsorship and debate be closed since
there was no member who wished to interpellate the
sponsors of the bill. Since this motion was also
approved, he made another motion seeking to close
the period of amendments because just like in the
previous motion, no individual amendments were
introduced by the Committee. Finally, he moved for
the voting on House Bill No. 9883. Again, his motion
was approved. During the voting, several members
pg. 21

voted aye while there was no nay vote.

Congressman Albano promptly announced that the
ayes have it and House Bill No. 9883 was approved
on second reading.12
The bills consideration for third reading took
place on March 27, 2000. When the plenary session
was resumed after a one-minute suspension,
Representative Eduardo Gullas of Cebu moved that
House Bill No. 9883 be approved on third and final
reading. With this, Deputy Speaker Alfredo Abueg
directed the Secretary General to read the title of the
bill and call the roll for a nominal voting. The nominal
voting resulted in 112 affirmative votes, zero
negative votes and zero abstentions which approved
House Bill 9883 on the third and final reading.13
Failed by the Senate Again
Just like House Bill No. 8931 before it, House Bill
No. 9883 was transmitted to the upper house for its
concurrence. This time both Senator Ernesto Maceda
and Congressman Renato Dragon were not around
whose antagonism fatally affected the approval of
House Bill No. 8931. However, according to records in
the Senate Archives, although House Bill 9883 was
received in the upper house on March 31, 2000, it did
not undergo the legislative process as expected.
When pressed for answers, Congressman Barzaga
intimated that Senator Ramon Revilla, Sr., remained
as the single biggest stumbling block to Dasmarias
vision of cityhood. Obstinately clinging to the same
unwritten, Senator Revilla refused to budge on his
contention that Bacoor should convert into a city
ahead of Dasmarias.
Helpless and frustrated at the old Revillas
stubbornness, Dasmarineos led by its Municipal
Mayor vowed to reverse this latest setback.
pg. 22

SB Resolution No. 121-s-2001

In 2001 local elections, Pidi Barzaga was reelected
as Mayor of the Municipality of Dasmarias. Vice
Mayor Luciano S. Cantimbuhan was likewise
reelected although some changes in the composition
of the Sangguniang Bayan resulted from that
election. SB Members Victor T. Carungcong, Teofilo B.
Lara, Valeriano S. Encabo, Dominador P. Alvaran, and
Fulgencio C. de la Cuesta Jr., kept their positions. SB
Member Cresencio S. Encabo was still President of
the MCLB while SB Member Ma. Cristina D. Puyat
retained her post as President of the Sangguniang
Kabataan both were still members of the
Sangguniang
Bayan
of
the
municipality
of
Dasmarias.
A returning member, SB Member Efren N. Aledia
joined the Sanggunian anew. The newcomers were
SB Member Luisito M. Bautista and Jacinto B. Frani Jr.
Those who did not make it back were SB Members
Reynaldo Jose A. Campos Jr., Florence C. Castillo, and
Hermenegildo S. Mendoza.
According to records, this Sangguniang Bayan
made another failed attempt to lobby for the
cityhood of Dasmarias. It started when they passed
SB Resolution No. 121-s-2001 on October 16, 2001
which was endorsed by Municipal Mayor Pidi Barzaga
two days later, on October 18, 2001. 14 The resolution
was to request Honorable Gilbert C. Remulla,
representative of the Second District of Cavite at that
time, to sponsor a bill in the House of
Representatives for the creation of Dasmarias as a
city. In the said resolution, the Sangguniang Bayan
argued that considering the past and present status
of the municipality, Dasmarias is very much eligible
for cityhood. According to them, the objectives of the
upgrade to into a city is to enable Dasmarias to
pg. 23

meet the growing demands of the people and to

further improve the delivery of basic services. It
continued that based on extensive research and
study, the transformation of the municipality into a
city will greatly enhance the momentum of growth in
terms of income, powers, prestige, and of course
service. And finally they said that by becoming a city,
economic returns in terms of increased income will
automatically be realized even without raising or
imposing new taxes. Records show that SB Member
Efren N. Aledia moved for the approval of the
resolution and was duly seconded by all of the
members of the Sangguniang Bayan. The resolution
was approved unanimously by the council.15
Upon its approval, the endorsement was
forwarded to the office of Congressman Remulla in
Imus, Cavite. It was received by one of the
Congressmans staff, Mely Galban on November 7,
2001. When interviewed as to what happened to the
endorsement, Congressman Barzaga replied that
nothing happened to it. Congressman Remulla did
not sponsor a bill as requested nor did he
communicate to the Sangguniang Bayan regarding
his intentions for the endorsement.

pg. 24

NOTES

pg. 25

Sangguniang Bayan of Dasmarias, Minutes of the 33rd Regular Session (September 13,
1999), 1.
2

Based on NSO data, an average of 23,422 people migrated to Dasmarias during the fiveyear period 1995-2000, cited in http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Dasmarias&oldid=591048679/accessed/04 October 2014.
3

Congressman Elpidio Pidi Barzaga, interview by Hannibal Carado, July 4, 2014.

Congressman Barzaga earned a degree on Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, cum

laude, from the San Beda College. He also completed his Bachelor of Law Degree from the Far
Eastern University magna cum laude. See, House of Representatives of the Philippines, Member
Information: Elpidio F. Barzaga, Jr., cited in http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Elpidio_Barzaga,_Jr.&printable=yes/ACCESSED/04/18/2014
5

Sangguniang Bayan of Dasmarias, 33rd Regular Session, 2-4.

Ibid. 4.

Sangguniang Bayan of Dasmarias, Minutes of the 35th Regular Session, (September 25,
1999).
8

Sangguniang Bayan of Dasmarias, Minutes of the 36th Regular Session, (October 4,

1999).
9

Elpidio F. Barzaga, Jr., interview, 2014.

10

The Eleventh Congress of the Philippines was the meeting of the national legislature of
the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of
Representatives which was convened following the 1998. There were three Presidents of the
Senate during that period, they were; Senator Marcelo Fernan (1998-1999), Senator Blas Ople
(1999-2000), and Senator Franklin Drilon (2000). The second attempt to lobby for the cityhood
of Dasmarias took place during the incumbency of Speaker of the Congressman Manuel B.
Villar, Jr., representative of the lone District Las Pias City, as the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=11th_Congress_of_the_Philippines&printable=yes/accessed 04/18/2014
11

Unless otherwise indicated, all references herein onwards shall be to House Bill No. 7478.
See, Philippine Congress, House of Representatives, an Act Converting the Municipality of
Dasmarias, Cavite Province into a Component City to be known as the City of Dasmarias, 11th
Congress, 1st Regular Session, House Bill No. 7478, (07 May 1999).
12

House of Representatives, Minutes of the Plenary Session, March 15, 2000, p. 38-40.

13

House of Representatives, Minutes of the Plenary Session, March 27, 2000. P. 12-14.

14

Mayor Elpidio Barzaga, 1st Indorsement of SB Resolution No. 121-s-2001 to Congressman

Gilbert C. Remulla, 18 October 2001, (photocopy).
15

Sangguniang Bayan of Dasmarias, Minutes of the 37th regular session, October 16, 2001.