Republic oi rhe Fhihp:ines

DEPARTMEI'IT OF THE iI\TERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNT/IENT

A.

Francisco Gold Condonrinium Il Bldg, EDSA

corner lviapagmahal St., Dilinlan, Quezon Citv

ItrGAL SEI'(VIClr
oPNroN irro. I28
rti!. i :r' 20'i8

s.

20t 0

DIRECTOR FRANCISCO C" JOSE

Regional Director
DILG-Region VIII
Kanhuraw Hill, Tacloban City
Dear Director Jose:

This has reference

to

your earlier letter asking this

Department's

clarification on the followinq issues, to wit:

,,1.

In Excctttivc Onler N't r'.t, L(;L/s trc !it't:n,lO d;ty.s litnn rccciStt
ol' cotttltlctu apltlic;ttirnt to i.t.sut' I)crclopntcnt Pulttits while
Sectiott .t.:i ot'DILG t)lC !00!!- I.t pnt.ides tltat thc Vicc-Mayor
sltall causc th<' i nrtttt,tli;t tt' tran.,;rttittul oi'tlrc tpplication acted
trpou lo tln: ll'I;tyor liu tlrytttltritt<: ttt:tion. Wltcrcfbre, in the
inaction oI' th<: ).layttr v.itltitt tln' prescribut pcrirxl, tlrc
application shall ba lctnx'tt ;t14trowd anl tlrc Provincial
Sanggttttian cottt:<:t'ttttl, throu,gh I lu' Frcvincitl Secrct:uy can
therelbrc

(crtiljl to tlnl elli'ct.

Horvcvcr, in this in-tt;inI t:;tst' y;ln'rt' the delay i.s tt'ith tlrc
Sattg'qtnt i;tnp' Pattpluii!sod (.sit:) ;ttnl ttrc apltlication vas not
tLansntittcd to tlx' Il:t-y,ttr, lot':; tltt tlxtvt'provi,sion a14tly? Is tlrc
applicittiott dec'tttt'd ryt1rntr,ad :tliu t|n' Iapsx ttt Xt d;tys?

Il'in tlx' nt1;zttivt:, v,)ttt pntlu'r n'nlcd)/ or procedurcs should

partic"^ lil:c ILs. Rutnoltr lnvc to t )dcftal,ic to sccu[e the
inuncdiatt issttztttr: o/'tltt l)tt tlopnrctt Pttzni/!)
Il' in tlrc tt'tirtn;rtiv t', tttuhl llls. Ilurnohr dcntand upon tlrc
Sanggtnti;tng' Ilanhltwig;ttt, tltrouglt tlte Sanggttniang
Panlalawi!';tn Sexretlr'r,, tltt: i.sstt;tttct: oI't Ctrtificatiort to the
elli,ct tlnt tlrc tpplit;ttion lbr a l)cwioltnent Perntit is deented
approvul Oll, can tha l)!L() llcgiutnl t)llict gL"ant thc rcquest of
Ms. Iluttn r to tt,t til-y tltt' itl4tntval ol tlrcir application as
providul in Sectittn

:J. t.

pzt';rgr';tph .;

ol'DILC

lUttc 9009- t /i?tl

We shall answer all your queries in one discussion sinco they are all
interrelated.
Executive Order No. 45, entitled: "Prescribing nme Periods for Issuance of
Housing-Related Certifications, Clearances and Permits, and Imposing Sanctions
for Failure to Observe the Same", dated 24 October 2001, provides under
Section 6 that:
"SEC'7-ION b'. l-ittn, Parfuuls.-- I'lte k;ca| g'ovct'ntnent unit
concctLrcd anl t'zch ol'tlt<' ollitt'r., :tnd :t.gtrtcit:s li.statl Inlov sltall

-2dispose ol'an application ,lbr ltou.virt13-m'ia t:r! t:u'titication, clearance

r,\x
or pernrit +vithin tltc 1xt'it,rls 1trt'.stribcd bdon,:

Local ( )oi.cntniayl1 f/ttits

-Thirt.y

(,Lo) da.ys

a14 i ca t i r t t t

li'ottt t tr:ei1tt ol'conplete

t' l) c ve I op n r:n t Per nt i ts |
|

i.s.v t t

On the other hand, Item 3 of the DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2002-15
dated 31 January 2002, prescribing guidelines for the issuances of development
permits by the local government units, provides and we quote:

t Pcnnit and Locational

I)t:vt'iopntnt Projects

fssnanre ol' l)ttz'lolttttctt

Clearancc (DPs/LCs) tbr flousing'

.{,\x

The lbllowittg titttt' 1s<'riods at'c ln'rtb.y prcscribed:

-\

_r

-\

xx,\

Thinl \ r'tcl;
The SanggJunian conu'rtutt sltall calenr.lar tlrc application
delibet'atiort. AntonS;' othtt's, it sltall:

for

aside fi'ont its rcgular .st:ssiott, ctll tbr special sessions to

deliberate on tlu' ttrct'its ol'tha application
throug'h a resolu tiut, ;t!]provc (dis;t14tt'ove) the application
Thc Vice-Ata-yttr (as Satqggunian pn:.siding ollicer) shall
causc tlrc intntciiate tratNnittal ol' tlrc application acted
upon to the City/i\lunicilnl Ala.yor lir appropriate action-

3..1,

Fourth \\/ecl;

The City/Muni:iptl ivla.yot', tt'ith tlrc assistance of

the
ntake
a
-shall
Coordinatot'
City/Municipal Devclolttttcnt Plannittg
final review ol'the applit'a liott.

In case ol' apprcval, tht cottcctz;t:tl ntayor, through the

C,/MPDC shalt inlbnn tltL' pntfe.:l ProPorrcnt of'thc actiott taken by

the LGL/ concertted, In <:;rse ol' disaplstova l, the nnyor as provided
under existing larvs, slnll ittdic;ttt' tht' reitsrttto'litt suclt and transmit
back said applicatiolt tl, tt,t's;tItgqtttti IL

Non-action by tltc ntz-yot' rvithin the period as prt:scribed

under RA 7t60 atld its IIlll slnll ncan altproval of'the application.
Relative hereto, tltc p1'6f i21:ixl Sattggtutian concetncd through

the Ptovincial Secret:r\l' sttatt certily the approval of

application in view ol'tlx: non-action by the A'Iiryor concetned.

such

rJ

In ra^,;e ot- tlx' nor)-;t!'(;orr lty' tltc pro+'int:t', tlrc DILC lley;ional
Ditector cottct'rned .slnll thot a't'tili' ap1v,ttval ol'suclt application
based ott tln' tbregt;ittg t'ir"t:utttstitttt:t'.,t. "
Based on the aforequoted provisions of DiLG lVemorandum Circular No.
2002-15, there are two (2) steps involved tn the issuance of a development
permit, namely, (1) the evallration and approval (non-approval) by the
sangguniang panlungsod/bayan on the application; and (2) final review by the
City/Municipal Mayor of the application"
Under Section 6 (e) of EO 45, local government units are given 30 days only
within which to issue development pernrits. May vve note that the aforesald 30day period encompasses both the two (2) steps mentioned in the immediately
preceding paragraph, not either of the two. This 30-day period was reiterated
under DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2002-15 when it divided into four (4)
weeks the processing of the application for development permits.

With regard to the first step involved in the issuance of a development

permit, we concur with your view that EO 45 falled to categorically provide a
period within which the sangguniang panlungsod/bayan shall accomplish its
evaluation and approval (non-approval) of the application for development
permit. Such absence however should not defeat public trust. Item 3.3 of the
DILG Memorandum Circular l\o. 2002-15 categorically provides that the
Sanggunian concerned shall approve (disapprove) the application, through a
resolution, on the third week. Furthermore/ a recent law, Republic Act 9485,
otherwise known as the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, matrdates public officials to
act on matters presented before them in no case shall be longer than five (5)
working days in the case of simple transactions and ten (10) working days in the
case of complex transactions frorn the time the request or application was
received. Therefore, we are of tfre belief that the 5 or 10-day perlod provided for
under RA 9485 may be analogously applied to determtne the number of days
within which for the sanggunian to act on the application for development
permit.

With regard to the second step involved in the issuance of a development

permit, Item 3.4 of the DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2002-15 provides that if
the CiV/Municipal Mayor does not take action within the prescribecl period, either
by approving or disapproving the same, such non-action shall mean approval of
application. This approval due to the inaction by the City/Municipal Mayor shal
be certified by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, through the Provirrcial Secretary,
or in case of the inaction by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the DILG Regiona
Director.

We again concur with your observation that the motu proprio approval of
the application for developmenl permit is proper only in case of non-action by
the City/Municipal Mayor, not due to the inaction by the Sanggunian. Hence, if
the delay in the approval or issuance of the development permit is brought about
by the Sanggunian concerned, like in the case at hand, the application shall not,
after the lapse of 30 days under EO 45, be considered deemed approved.

The proper remedies in such situation are either of the following: (1) the
applicant may, unless expressly prohibited by law, submit an affldavit, with

14-

supporting technical studies and documents by competent individuals, in lieu of

the permit in accordance with Section 5 of EO 45; or (2) the applicant may seek
for the intercession of the Provincial Governor in the exercise of the latter's duty
to monitor compliance by component cities to EO 45 under Item 4 (A) of DILG
Memorandum Circular No. 2002-15.
We hope we have addressed your concern accordingly.

Very truly yours,

Copy furnished:

VICKY P. RUMOHR
Corporate Secretary
Narcisa Hills Development Corporatiotr
Calbayog City
THE SANGGUNIA$IG PANLUNGSOD
Calbayog City
THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN
Province of Samar

THE CLGOO

calb6yog city
Ls/17

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