The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) headed by its chairman, Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri, has sought for a careful review of R.A. 9009 among lawmakers, since it "practically mandates the conversion of municipalities into cities.”

Republic Act 9009 is an act amending Section 450 of Republic Act No. 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991, by increasing the average annual income requirement for a municipality or cluster of barangays to be converted into a component city.

The LCP claimed said that the 16 municipalities currently seeking conversing into cities must pass the provisions of law.

“Kaya naman umaapela kami sa Kongreso na sana’y ipatupad at suriin nilang mabuti ang nakasaad sa R.A.9009 na nagsasabing dapat na kumpleto ang requirement bago maging siyudad ang isang munisipalidad,” Echiverri said.

The LCP expressed apprehension that once R.A. 9009 is not properly followed, then practically all municipalities could apply to become cities and even single barangays could also claim to be cities.

But the LCP clarified that it has nothing against municipalities wanting to become cities, "we just want an assurance that these particular municipalities fulfill first the requirements as stated under R.A. 9009."

The LCP has appealed before the Congress for the protection of Republic Act (R.A.) 9009 of the Local Government Code.

“We from the League of Cities of the Philippines are in unison in calling for the adherence of Congress and to stood by the minimum base requirement in the creation/conversion of municipalities into cities," the LCP said.

In their letter addressed to Congress, the LCP reiterated that what they are fighting for is the creation of the municipality to become a city without allegedly complying the requirement provided for under RA 909," Echiverri said.

"Ang ipinaglalaban namin dito ay huwag na sanang maulit na ma-create ang municipalities na maging city without complying with requirements of law na nakasaad sa R.A.9009 na dapat mayroong land requirement na 150,000 square kilometers, annual income na P100 million as certified by the Department of Finance at may populasyon na 100,000 ang isang munisipyo bago maging ganap na siyudad,” the mayor said.

This developed as Oriental Mindoro’s Calapan City Mayor and Vice Chairman of the LCP Paulino Salvador Leachon criticized the two “secret” letters addressed to the Supreme Court allegedly designed to influence the voting in the case.

“This is completely against the law – to write the Court seeking a favorable decision. Under the law, all parties involved in the case must be furnished with copies of pleadings and motions. In such case, we as well as our legal counsels were not provided with those secret documents,” he lamented.