Guagua mayor Anthony Joseph S. Torres issued Executive Order No. 2025-037 creating a Technical Working Group (TWG) tasked to facilitate the town’s conversion into a component city.
The order said that the TWG will oversee the compliance with statutory requirements under Republic Act (R.A.) 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended by R.A. 9009 and R.A. 11683, which prescribe the income, population, and land area standards for cityhood.
Under Section 3 of the EO, the TWG is mandated to “validate the municipality’s eligibility, prepare legislative measures for submission to Congress, compile socio-economic and technical documents, and coordinate with national and local legislative offices throughout the process.”
The EO also directed the TWG “to organize public consultations and hearings, conduct information and education campaigns, assist the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in plebiscite preparations, and draft a post-ratification transition plan.”
The mayor's order provides that expenses for the TWG’s operations shall be charged to municipal funds, subject to accounting and auditing regulations. It also contains repealing and separability clauses to address any inconsistencies with existing orders.
Executive Order No. 2025-037 took effect immediately upon its signing on August 19, 2025. It will remain in force until revoked or amended.