PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—This city known as the “Environment Capital” of the Philippines for its innovative and effective environment conservation, protection and development programs is the country’s newest and 31st Highly Urbanized City (HUC) after a plebiscite conducted by the Commission on Elections on July 9.

A total of 21,896 out 34,797 voters approved the city’s conversion from component to highly urbanized city in the plebiscite.

On March 26, President Arroyo issued Presidential Declaration 1264 coverting Puerto Princesa City from component to highly urbanized city. The city was given 90 days to affirm the presidential declaration in a plebiscite.

Puerto Princesa City is the country’s 31st highly urbanized city.

The Comelec and the League of Cities of the Philippines said it is also the first component city to successfully hurdle a plebiscite for conversion to highly urbanized city. Two other component cities—Cabanatuan and Tarlac, both lost in their plebiscites of 1997 and 2006, respectively.

Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who scored a landslide win in his reelection bid in the May elections, thanked his constituents for the overwhelming support they continue to give his administration.

Hagedorn said the conversion of Puerto Princesa City into a highly urbanized city is solid proof of the tremendous growth and development of the city that the people of Puerto Princesa and its elective officials have jointly achieved since he first assumed office in 1992.

The Comelec noted that the Puerto Princesa City plebiscite with a 31.25-percent voter turnout is the highest ever in terms of participation compared to other plebiscites conducted in the country.

A highly urbanized city should have a minimum population of 200,000, as certified by the National Statistics Office (NSO), and with a latest annual income of at least P50 million based on 1991 constant prices as certified by the city treasurer.

A city’s conversion to HUC status makes it independent of the province from which it had been a component of. In addition, qualified voters of HUCs are excluded from voting for elective provincial officials.

Malacañang on Sunday reassured the public that the Human Security Act (HSA), which entered into force that day, will give law enforcers the necessary legal teeth to effectively fight terrorism in the country without sacrificing civil rights as feared by some groups.

THE P10 billion that the administration released to the Armed Forces three months before the May 2007 elections to partly cover the government’s debt to retired soldiers is “missing,” prompting some former soldiers and even retired generals to conclude that the money may have been used by the administration to bankroll the campaigns of its senatorial candidates.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Senator Rodolfo Biazon said he will call for an investigation to determine how “hostile forces” have managed to acquire the same type of armaments as the military.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—This city known as the “Environment Capital” of the Philippines for its innovative and effective environment conservation, protection and development programs is the country’s newest and 31st Highly Urbanized City (HUC) after a plebiscite conducted by the Commission on Elections on July 9.