President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law Republic Act No. 11993, dividing Barangay 176 also known as Bagong Silang in the City of Caloocan into six separate and independent barangays.

Under the new law that was signed last April 3, Bagong Silang will be known as Barangay 176-A, Barangay 176-B, Barangay 176-C, Barangay 176-D, Barangay 176-E, and Barangay 176-F, with the territorial boundaries of each barangay created immediately with the existing “puroks” or “phases.”

Following its passage, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) shall conduct and supervise the plebiscite to be held in Barangay 176 in the City of Caloocan within 90 days from the effectivity of the law.

Republic Act No. 11993 also mandates the appointment of interim barangay officials including the Punong Barangay, seven Sangguniang Barangay members, a Sangguniang Kabataan chairman, and seven Sangguniang Kabataan members in each of the newly created barangays to be designated by the mayor.

The law stated that such barangay officials shall serve until their duly elected and qualified successors assume office.

With regard the incumbent barangay officials, the law states that they shall continue to hold office until such time that the officials of the newly created barangays have been duly appointed.

Public infrastructure and facilities existing at the time of the approval of the Act shall be transferred without cost or compensation and shall be administered by the new barangays.

All newly created barangays shall be entitled to the National Allotment shares pursuant to Section 285 of Republic Act No. 7160, as amended, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991.

R.A. No. 11993, passed by the House of Representatives on November 21, 2022, and amended by the Senate on December 11, 2023, shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. PND