Chapter 4Recharting the Course: 1999-2001The 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.

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 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. 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.

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.

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 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.

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 that the towns vision on cityhood is one that needed to be realized.

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 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.

No More DelaysTwelve 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.

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.

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-s-99 was unanimously approved that day.

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. 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 during the first regular session of the Eleventh Congress.

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.

The draft bill contained nine (9) articles and fifty-nine (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. 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, 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 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 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.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 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 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 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 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 through appropriate technology compatible with environmental integrity.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 non-governmental 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.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 non-governmental 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 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 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.

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.

Failed by the Senate AgainJust 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.

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. 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 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.

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

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

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

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

Ibid. 4.

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

Sangguniang Bayan of Dasmarias, Minutes of the 36th Regular Session, (October 4, 1999).

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

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

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).

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

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

Mayor Elpidio Barzaga, 1st Indorsement of SB Resolution No. 121-s-2001 to Congressman Gilbert C. Remulla, 18 October 2001, (photocopy).

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

pg. 25