Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 8469)
The law is titled the Charter of the City of Passi.
The corporate powers include having continuous succession, suing and being sued, using a corporate seal, acquiring and conveying real or personal property, entering into contracts, and exercising other granted corporate powers.
The elective officials include the city mayor, city vice mayor, and members of the sangguniang panlungsod.
The candidate must be at least 21 years old, an actual resident of the City for at least one year prior to election, and a qualified voter therein.
Both the City Mayor and City Vice Mayor hold office for three years unless sooner removed.
The City Vice Mayor shall become the City Mayor. If vacancies occur in both offices, the highest-ranking sangguniang panlungsod member assumes the position.
The City Mayor may approve ordinances, veto any ordinance or particular line items, and return them with objections to the sangguniang panlungsod for reconsideration.
It is composed of the city vice mayor as presiding officer, regular sangguniang members, presidents of the liga ng mga barangay and sangguniang kabataan, and sectoral representatives. It approves ordinances, levies taxes, adopts budgets, regulates land use, and promotes the general welfare of the City.
Persons convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude, convicted of violating oath of allegiance, dual citizens, fugitives from justice, permanent residents abroad, or declared insane or feeble-minded are disqualified.
The sangguniang panlalawigan reviews ordinances within 30 days, may declare them invalid if beyond power, and if no action is taken, the ordinance is presumed valid.
A tax moratorium for five years is established where no increase in the rates of taxes shall be imposed.
Appointive officials are appointed by the city mayor with the concurrence of the majority of sangguniang panlungsod members, subject to Civil Service laws.
The City Treasurer manages city funds, advises officials, disburses funds, inspects establishments for tax compliance, and maintains the tax information system.
The City has police jurisdiction over its drainage area and within 100 meters of reservoirs, conduits, canals, aqueducts, or pumping stations for protecting the water supply's purity.
All municipal ordinances continue to be in force until the sangguniang panlungsod provides otherwise by ordinance.