Corporate Powers
- City is a political corporation with powers including perpetual succession, suing and being sued, seal usage, property acquisition, contract making, and other powers granted by law.
General Powers
- City may levy taxes, manage public roads and spaces, acquire and dispose of property, expropriate private property for public use, contract, litigate, and exercise corporate powers and authorities.
General Welfare Clause
- City exercises all powers necessary for governance and promotes culture, health, ecology, social justice, employment, peace, and convenience.
Liability
- City liable for damages caused by its officers or employees during official duties unless otherwise provided by law.
Police and Water Supply Jurisdiction
- Police jurisdiction coextensive with territorial limits and extends 100 meters around water facilities.
- Courts and police have concurrent jurisdiction shared with adjoining local units.
City Officials
- Includes city mayor, vice mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, city department heads, and other officials.
- Mayor appoints officials subject to sangguniang panlungsod concurrence within 15 days.
City Mayor
- Chief executive elected at large for a 3-year term with qualifications (21 years old, 1-year residency).
- Powers: policy determination, development planning, legislative initiation, appointment authority, crisis management, law enforcement, fiscal management, public service delivery.
- May deputize for peace and order; carry necessary firearms; solemnize marriages; conduct local games; submit reports to provincial governor.
City Vice Mayor
- Presiding officer of sangguniang panlungsod, assume mayoralty in vacancy.
- Appoints sangguniang panlungsod officials excluding those under Local Government Code.
Sangguniang Panlungsod (Legislative Body)
- Composed of vice mayor, elected members, barangay and youth federation presidents, sectoral representatives.
- Legislates ordinances, resolutions, and policies to maintain order, protect environment, regulate businesses, manage property and revenues, provide services, adopt land use plans.
- Can approve budgets, levy taxes, authorize loans and bonds, grant franchises, regulate local activities.
- Supports social services, education, health, sanitation, welfare, housing, and cultural programs.
Legislative Procedures
- Sangguniang adopts internal rules within 90 days post election.
- Members disclose financial and business interests to prevent conflicts.
- Sessions held weekly; special sessions upon necessity.
- Quorum is majority of all members; attendance enforced by police if needed.
- Mayor may approve or veto ordinances; veto override requires two-thirds vote.
- Ordinances forwarded for provincial review and barangay ordinances reviewed by sangguniang panlungsod.
- Ordinances take effect after posting and publication requirements.
Succession of Elective Officials
- Vice mayor assumes mayoralty if vacancy occurs.
- Highest ranking sangguniang members fill vacancies in the vice mayor or sangguniang positions.
- Permanent vacancies filled by appointments from political party nominees or city mayor's recommendation.
- Temporary incapacity of mayor triggers vice mayor or highest ranking member to act in his stead.
Appointive Officials: Qualifications and Powers
- Includes secretary to sangguniang panlungsod, city treasurer and assistant, city assessor and assistant, city accountant, budget officer, planning and development officer, engineer, health officer, civil registrar, administrator, legal officer, social welfare officer, veterinarian, general services officer, environment officer, architect, information officer, cooperatives officer, population officer, agriculturist, tourism officer.
- Each office has specified qualifications including citizenship, residency, experience, educational background, civil service eligibility, and professional licenses when appropriate.
- Duties encompass administrative management, policy formulation, technical assistance, service delivery, enforcement, planning, financial management, legal counsel, public health, social services, veterinary care, environmental conservation, information dissemination, cooperative development, population programs, agricultural productivity, and tourism promotion.
Special City Services
- Fire station established with necessary equipment and personnel.
- City jail provided for secure custody respecting prisoners' rights with separate detention for juveniles and women.
- City schools division organized under DepEd.
- City prosecution service responsible for criminal prosecutions under Department of Justice supervision.
Transitory and Final Provisions
- Existing municipal ordinances remain effective until the city government decides otherwise.
- City existence ratified by plebiscite within 30 days of act approval.
- Incumbent officials continue until new officials are elected and qualified.
- City succeeds to assets, liabilities, and obligations of the municipality.
- City voters participate in provincial elections of Samar; city remains under Samar's jurisdiction.
- Tax rate increases suspended for five years from cityhood.
- City remains part of Samar's Second Congressional District.
- Governed by the Local Government Code and applicable laws unless inconsistent with this Act.
- Exempt from income requirements under RA 9009 for cityhood.
- Unconstitutional provisions severable; Local Government Code applies if Act silent.
- Boundary disputes may still be resolved post-effectivity.
- Conflicting laws repealed or amended.
- Act effective 15 days after publication in newspapers.