Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 352)
The official title of the law is 'Charter of the City of Masbate,' enacted as Republic Act No. 8807.
The territorial jurisdiction of the City of Masbate is the same as that of the present Municipality of Masbate, bounded by the municipalities of Mobo, Milagros, Baleno, and the Masbate Pass covering approximately 18,800 hectares.
The City of Masbate has corporate powers including: continuous succession in its corporate name, the ability to sue and be sued, use a corporate seal, acquire and convey property, enter contracts, and exercise other powers incidental to municipal corporations subject to law.
Elective officials include the city mayor, city vice mayor, and members of the sangguniang panlungsod (city council) among others as detailed in the Charter.
A City Mayor must be at least 21 years old, an actual resident of the City for at least one year prior to the election, and a qualified voter of the City at the time of election.
The City Mayor is the chief executive responsible for enforcing laws and ordinances, appointing officials, directing government programs, managing city funds, representing the City in transactions, and ensuring public welfare among others as provided by the Local Government Code and the Charter.
The City Vice Mayor acts as the presiding officer of the sangguniang panlungsod, signs warrants for expenditures, appoints certain officials and employees, assumes the office of the City Mayor in case of vacancy, and performs other duties as provided by law.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod consists of the City Vice Mayor as presiding officer, ten regular members, the president of the city chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay, the president of the Panlungsod na Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan, and three (3) sectoral representatives representing women, workers, and other sectors such as urban poor or indigenous cultural communities.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod approves ordinances and resolutions for efficient city governance, levies taxes, grants franchises, regulates activities within the city, ensures delivery of basic services, and performs functions as prescribed by the Local Government Code of 1991 and the Charter.
If the City Mayor vetoes an ordinance on grounds of being ultra vires or prejudicial, he returns it with reasons to the sangguniang panlungsod, which may override the veto by two-thirds vote. If the Mayor does not act within ten days, the ordinance is deemed approved.
If the City Mayor's office becomes vacant, the City Vice Mayor assumes the post. For vacancies in the City Vice Mayor's office, the highest-ranking sangguniang panlungsod member succeeds. Subsequent vacancies are filled automatically by other sanggunian members based on ranking, which is determined by votes received.
Appointive officials must be Filipino citizens, residents of the city, of good moral character, possess relevant degrees, and have required experience. For example, the City Treasurer must have a commerce, public administration, or law degree and five years experience; the City Assessor generally requires an engineering or commerce degree with five years experience in assessment.
The City Fire Station Service provides fire prevention and suppression, rescue and emergency services in the City, with at least one fire station headed by a City Fire Marshal according to standards set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Police jurisdiction of the City is coextensive with its territorial limits and extends over the water supply drainage area and one hundred meters around reservoirs, canals, aqueducts, or pumping stations used for city water service.
Ordinances and resolutions take effect ten days after posting on the City Hall's bulletin board and two other conspicuous places in the City, and publication once in a local or general newspaper. Ordinances with penal sanctions must also have the gist published.