Kidapawan City protests cityhood of 16 towns; flies flags at half-mast

The City Government of Kidapawan flies the national flag at half-mast in protest to the ruling of the Supreme Court converting 16 municipalities in the Philippines into cityhood. Last February 15, the High Court upheld the cityhood laws that converted the 16 towns into cities, exempting them from the P100 million income requirement, among others. The newly-converted cities include Baybay (Leyte); Bogo (Cebu); Catbalogan (Samar); Tandag (Surigao del Sur); Borongan (Eastern Samar); Tayabas (Quezon province); Lamitan (Basilan); Tabuk (Kalinga); Bayugan (Agusan del Sur); Batac (Ilocos Norte); Mati (Davao Oriental); Guihulngan (Negros).

Lawmakers backing the cityhood conversion of 16 towns called on the government to restore their respective Internal Revenue Allotment following the decision of the Supreme Court. The League of Cities of the Philippines is opposing the High Court decision, saying, the cityhood of the 16 municipalities was unconstitutional as they failed to meet the P100-million income requirement for cities under the Republic Act No. 9009. But lawmakers said Congress had exempted the 16 municipalities from the P100-million requirement even before RA 9009 was approved. (Photo by Geonarri Solmerano)