QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 10420)
RA 10420 converts the Municipality of San Pedro into a component city known as the City of San Pedro, with its territorial jurisdiction within the present metes and bounds of the former municipality.
It provides that the city’s territorial jurisdiction is without prejudice to boundary disputes; the disputed area remains under the local government unit with existing administrative supervision until final resolution.
The City has perpetual succession and powers typical of municipal corporations, including to sue and be sued, use a corporate seal, acquire/hold/convey property, enter into contracts, and exercise other powers provided in the Act or other laws.
No. The City and its officials are not exempt from liability for death or injury to persons or damage to property.
For police purposes, it is coextensive with the City’s territorial jurisdiction, and for water-purity protection it extends over all territory within the water supply drainage area or within 100 meters of reservoirs, conduits, canals, aqueducts, or pumping stations.
The city court of San Pedro has concurrent jurisdiction with adjoining city/municipal courts for crimes and misdemeanors committed within the drainage area or within 100 meters of water facilities; the court first taking cognizance has jurisdiction to the exclusion of others.
Elective: City Mayor and City Vice Mayor. Legislative body: Sangguniang Panlungsod (including 10 regular members and 3 sectoral representatives). Appointed/required offices mentioned include secretary to the sanggunian, city treasurer, city assessor, city accountant, city budget officer, city planning and development officer, city engineer, city health officer, city civil registrar, city administrator, city legal officer, city social welfare and development officer, city veterinarian, and city general services officer.
Heads of departments and offices are appointed by the City Mayor with the concurrence of the majority of all sangguniang panlungsod members, subject to civil service rules; the sanggunian must act within 15 days, otherwise deemed confirmed.
The City Mayor must be a Philippine citizen, at least 21 years old, resident of the City for at least 1 year prior to election, a qualified voter, and able to read and write Filipino or any local language/dialect. Term is 3 years, with a limit of not more than 3 consecutive terms.
The Vice Mayor is the presiding officer of the sangguniang panlungsod and signs warrants drawn on the city treasury for expenditures appropriated for the sanggunian.
The City Vice Mayor or the highest-ranking sangguniang panlungsod member automatically exercises the powers and performs duties of the City Mayor, with limitations on appointing/suspending/dismissing employees depending on whether the incapacity exceeds 30 working days.
Permanent vacancy occurs when the elective local official fills in a higher vacant office, refuses to assume office, fails to qualify, dies, is removed, voluntarily resigns, or is otherwise permanently incapacitated to discharge functions.
If the City Mayor’s office becomes permanently vacant, the City Vice Mayor succeeds. If the Vice Mayor’s office becomes permanently vacant, the highest-ranking sangguniang panlungsod member (or second highest in case of incapacity) succeeds; later vacancies follow the ranking.
Ranking is based on the proportion of votes obtained by each winning candidate to the total number of registered voters in the City in the immediately preceding local election.
It includes the City Vice Mayor as presiding officer, 10 regular sanggunian members, the president of the city chapter of Liga ng mga Barangay, the president of the panlungsod na pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan, and three sectoral representatives: one women sector; one from agricultural/industrial workers; and one from other sectors (including urban poor, ICCs, or disabled persons).
Upon assumption to office, and when relevant, they must make written full disclosure of business and financial interests and related relationships that may create conflict of interest, submitted to the secretary of the sanggunian or committee; it must be made before participation in deliberations or before voting if the member did not participate, and included in the record.
The sangguniang panlungsod submits every ordinance to the City Mayor; if approved, the mayor signs each page; otherwise it is vetoed and returned with written objections, after which the sanggunian may override by a 2/3 vote of all its members. The mayor must communicate veto within 10 days; otherwise the ordinance is deemed approved.
The Mayor may veto ordinances on grounds they are ultra vires or prejudicial to public welfare, stating reasons in writing. The Mayor may veto specific items (not necessarily the whole) of appropriations, local development plan adoption, public investment program, or ordinances directing payment of money or creating liability. The Mayor may veto an ordinance only once.