REPUBLIC ACT NO. 505 - AN ACT TO CREATE THE PROVINCES OF ORIENTAL MINDORO AND OCCIDENTAL MINDORO

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The Province of Mindoro is hereby divided into two provinces, to be known as Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro, in the following manner:

The Province of Oriental Mindoro shall consist of that portion of the present Province of Mindoro which comprises the municipalities of Baco, Bongabon, Bulalacao, Calapan, Mansalay, Naujan, Pinamalayan, Pola, Puerto Galera, Roxas, and San Teodoro.

The Province of Occidental Mindoro shall consist of the other portion of the present Province of Mindoro, comprising the municipalities of Abra de Ilog, Looc, Lubang, Mamburao, Paluan, Sablayan, San Jose, and Sta. Cruz.

SEC. 2. The capital of Oriental Mindoro shall be Calapan and that of Occidental Mindoro shall be the municipality designated by at least five municipal councils of the municipalities of Occidental Mindoro, the designation to be made not later than fifteen days after the constitution of said province. In the event of a failure to make the designation as herein required, the President of the Philippines shall designate the capital of the said province.

SEC. 3. Except as hereinafter provided, all provisions pi law now or hereafter applicable to the regular provinces shall be applicable to the Provinces of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro.

SEC. 4. The elective provincial officers of the former Province of Mindoro elected at the last general election shall continue to govern the Province of Oriental Mindoro until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified. The provincial governor, the provincial treasurer, and the provincial fiscal of Oriental Mindoro shall continue to receive the salaries they are receiving at the time of the approval of this Act, until the new readjustment of salaries in accordance with existing law.

SEC. 5. As soon as this Act shall be carried into execution, the elective provincial officers of the Province of Occidental Mindoro shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, with the advice and consent of the Commission on Appointments, and shall hold office until their successors shall have been duly elected at the next general election and shall have qualified.

SEC. 6. The Provinces of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro shall each have one Representative: Provided, That the present Representative for the Province of Mindoro shall, during his term of office as such, be the Representative for the Province of Oriental Mindoro: Provided, further, That he shall likewise be the Representative for the Province of Occidental Mindoro until a Representative for the latter province shall have been elected in the next general election for national officials or in a special election called for the purpose.

SEC. 7. The funds and obligations and the property of all kinds to be assigned to the Provinces of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro upon the execution of the provisions of this Act shall be distributed equitably between the two provinces, in such manner as the Auditor General may recommend and the President of the Philippines approve.

SEC. 8. This Act shall take effect on such date as may, by proclamation, be set by the President of the Philippines.

Approved, June 13, 1950.