Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 603)
Republic Act No. 321 is the Charter of the City of Ozamiz, enacted on June 19, 1948, which creates the City of Ozamiz and defines its government structure, powers, and functions.
The City of Ozamiz comprises the present territorial jurisdiction of the municipality of Misamis in the Province of Misamis Occidental, and the President of the Philippines may increase its territory by adding contiguous barrios or municipalities by executive order.
The City of Ozamiz constitutes a political body corporate, endowed with perpetual succession and with powers pertaining to a municipal corporation, exercisable in conformity with its Charter.
The Mayor has executive authority over city departments, enforces laws and ordinances, safeguards city properties, ensures tax collection, institutes judicial proceedings, supervises officers and employees, submits budgets and reports, grants or revokes licenses, takes emergency measures, and performs other duties prescribed by law or ordinances.
The City Treasurer performs the duties of the Mayor; if unavailable, the City Engineer acts; if both are unavailable, the President appoints a qualified official or person to act as Mayor.
The Municipal Board includes the Mayor as presiding officer, the City Treasurer, the City Engineer, and five councilors elected at large by popular vote.
The Board may levy and collect taxes, make appropriations, fix salaries, regulate businesses and licenses, establish schools and police/fire forces, enact ordinances for public health, safety, and welfare, and other powers under the Charter.
The City Treasurer acts as chief fiscal officer, collects taxes and other revenues, deposits funds in government depositories, disburses according to appropriations, maintains accounting records, and issues supplies as authorized.
Real estate in the city is taxed annually up to 2% ad valorem, with provisions on assessment, exemptions, tax collection, penalties for delinquency, property seizure, sale, redemption, and appeals as detailed in the Charter.
The Municipal Court consists of a municipal judge and an auxiliary judge with jurisdiction over specified civil and criminal cases, incuding concurrent jurisdiction with the Court of First Instance on certain crimes, and power to conduct preliminary investigations and try ordinance violations.