On April 29, 1955 or seventy (70) years ago Ilongos for the first time became eligible to vote for their city mayor, vice mayor and 10 councilors with the passage into law of Republic Act 1209.
RA 1209 emanated from a bill authored by Rep. Rodolfo Ganzon of Iloilo’s 2nd district and signed into law by Pres. Ramon Magsaysay on April 29, 1955.
Prior to RA 1209 Iloilo City residents were only allowed by law to vote for 5 councilors. The city mayor, vice mayor and 5 councilors were all appointed by the President.
RA 1209 amended RA 365, passed June 9, 1949 which provided besides an appointed mayor, for an appointed vice mayor, 5 appointed and 5 elected councilors.
The “Iloilo City Charter,” Commonwealth Act 57 was passed by the Philippine Assembly on Oct. 20, 1936 but was amended barely 3 weeks later by CA 158, on Nov. 9, 1936.
CA 158 provided for a mayor to be appointed by the President for a 6-years term, and 7 councilors for 3-years term, all could be “removed anytime”.
Then came the US-sponsored “Philippine Independence” Proclamation on July 4, 1946 through the Philippine Commonwealth and Independence Act (the Tydings-Mcduffie Act).
Republic Act 276, approved on June 15, 1948 amended CA 158 by increasing the number of councilors from 7 to 10, 5 still appointed and 5 elected by popular vote.
RA 276 was in turn amended by RA 365 with the addition of an “appointed vice mayor” to the existing mayor and 10 councilors.
Today Iloilo City is classified as “highly urbanized” represented as a Lone Congressional District in the House of Representatives and independent from Iloilo Province as a political unit.
On May 1987, Representative Rafael Jalandoni Lopez-Vito was elected the first Congressman of Iloilo City and served for two consecutive terms until June 30, 1995.
At present Iloilo City operates as a Local Government Unit (LGU) based on the Local Government Code of 1991 passed under the 1987 Constitution with an elective mayor, vice mayor, and 12 councilors all voted at large. Two ex-officio councilors represent the youth and barangays. (JEREMIAS ‘Jerry’ FADRIGO TACLINO)
