Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 4475)
The new capital of the Province of Nueva Ecija established by this Act is the City of Palayan.
The Provincial Governor of Nueva Ecija shall be the ex-officio City Mayor of the City of Palayan.
The jurisdiction of the City of Palayan for police purposes extends within its territorial limits and also over all territories within the drainage area of its water supply and within one hundred meters of any reservoir, conduit, canal, aqueduct, pumping station or watershed related to the City water service.
The City Mayor has general powers and duties including enforcing laws and ordinances, safeguarding city property, collecting taxes and revenues, instituting judicial proceedings to protect city interests, supervising city officials and employees, submitting an annual budget, granting or revoking municipal licenses and permits, taking emergency measures, and other duties prescribed by law or ordinance.
The City Council is composed of six members: three are ex-officio members from the Provincial Board of Nueva Ecija, and three are appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Provincial Governor.
The penalty for violating any ordinance shall not exceed a fine of two hundred pesos, or imprisonment for six months, or both, for a single offense.
The President of the Philippines appoints the City Fiscal with the consent of the Commission on Appointments. The City Fiscal acts as the chief legal adviser of the City, represents the City in civil cases, prosecutes crimes and ordinance violations, advises city officials, and investigates charges of crimes.
Exemptions include lands/buildings owned by the Republic of the Philippines, Province of Nueva Ecija or the City of Palayan, burying grounds, churches, lands for religious, charitable, scientific, or educational purposes not for profit, properties valued at two hundred pesos or below that are the only property of the owner, and machinery used for industrial/agricultural/manufacturing purposes during the first five years.
The City Vice-Mayor performs the duties of the Mayor during sickness, incapacity, or vacancy. If the Vice-Mayor is incapacitated or the position is vacant, the City Council member with the highest votes performs the duties, followed by the next highest if necessary. The Vice-Mayor is a member of the City Council with associated privileges.
If the City Council fails to enact an appropriation ordinance before the end of the previous fiscal year, the appropriation ordinance for the previous year is deemed reenacted and takes effect as the ordinance for the new fiscal year, continuing year-to-year until a new ordinance is enacted.