Law Summary
Conversion and Territorial Jurisdiction of Meycauayan\n- Municipality of Meycauayan in Bulacan is converted into a component city known as the City of Meycauayan.\n- The city’s territorial jurisdiction is defined within specific metes and bounds covering approximately 3,210 hectares.\n- Boundaries are detailed using geographical markers and cadastral references; disputes shall be resolved by appropriate authorities.\n\n### Corporate and General Powers of the City\n- The City is a political corporation with perpetual succession and powers typical of municipal corporations.\n- Powers include the ability to sue and be sued, use a corporate seal, acquire and convey property, enter contracts, levy taxes, manage public property, expropriate for public use, and exercise other lawful powers.\n- The City and its officials are liable for damages arising from death, injury, or property damage.\n- Police jurisdiction includes the city’s territory and extends for water supply protection to nearby areas; courts within the City have concurrent jurisdiction with nearby courts for offenses within this extended area.\n\n### City Officials and Structure\n- Key elective officials: City Mayor, City Vice Mayor, Sangguniang Panlungsod members.\n- Appointive officials include key department heads such as the City Treasurer, Assessor, Accountant, Engineer, Health Officer, Legal Officer, Social Welfare Officer, and others.\n- Mayor appoints officials subject to the council's concurrence; mayor may also establish other offices as necessary.\n- Supporting special units: City Fire Station, City Jail, City School Division, City Prosecution Service.\n\n### The City Mayor: Powers and Duties\n- Chief executive elected at large; qualification requirements include age (21+), residency (1+ year), and voter qualification.\n- Term is 3 years; compensation corresponds to salary grade 30.\n- Responsibilities include policy guidance, development plan formulation and implementation, proposing legislation, appointment of officials (except certain cases), contract signatory, emergency management, enforcement of laws, oversight of officials and employees, and ensuring faithful discharge of duties.\n- Authority over public safety, peace and order, police control, resource generation and budget preparation, license and permit issuance and revocation.\n- Duties also include solemnizing marriages, holding local sports events, and submitting reports to the provincial governor.\n- May carry firearms within jurisdiction with proper permits and act as deputized representative for peace and order.\n\n### The City Vice Mayor: Role and Functions\n- Elected alongside the mayor with similar qualifications, serving 3 years, and compensated under salary grade 26.\n- Presides over the legislative council (Sangguniang Panlungsod).\n- Appoints council officials and staff, except certain mandated appointments.\n- Assumes mayoral duties during temporary or permanent vacancy, except certain powers during temporary vacancy.\n- Exercises other duties prescribed by law or ordinance.\n\n### The Sangguniang Panlungsod (Legislative Council)\n- Composed of vice mayor (presiding officer), ten regular members, presidents of barangay and youth federations, and sectoral representatives including women, workers, and marginalized sectors.\n- Powers include enactment of ordinances and resolutions essential for local governance, maintenance of peace and order, environmental protection, regulation of public morals and community welfare, fiscal management, and provision of basic services and facilities.\n- Empowered to regulate land use, zoning, licensing, business operations, public utilities, and community health and safety.\n- Responsible for budget approval, tax legislation, loans, franchises, and development planning conformity with provincial plans.\n\n### Legislative Procedures and Ethical Requirements\n- Adoption of internal rules including standing committees, legislative process, and disciplinary measures.\n- Full disclosure of financial and business interests by council members to avoid conflicts of interest.\n- Regular public sessions required with specified quorum and procedures for adjournments and member attendance enforcement.\n- Ordinances are presented to the mayor for approval or veto; council can override veto with two-thirds vote.\n- Ordinances are subject to review by the provincial legislative council within set timeframes.\n\n### Qualifications, Succession, and Disqualifications for Elective City Officials\n- Disqualifications: final conviction for moral turpitude offenses, removal from office, dual citizenship, fugitive status, permanent foreign residency, insanity.\n- Succession rules provide for vice mayor to succeed mayor, and ranking council members to fill vacancies. Appointment processes defined for unfilled vacancies.\n- Temporary incapacity of mayor triggers vice mayor acting powers, with limitations on appointment powers during such times.\n\n### Appointive Officials: Qualifications, Powers, and Duties\n- Detailed qualifications for key appointees including city solicitor, treasurer, assessor, accountant, budget officer, planner, engineer, health officer, legal officer, social welfare officer, veterinarian, general services officer, environment officer, architect, information officer, cooperatives officer, population officer, and agriculturist.\n- Each office has defined roles such as planning, management, supervision, enforcement, legal assistance, and service delivery, with duties aligned with Local Government Code provisions.\n- Officials manage administrative, fiscal, social, health, environmental, infrastructural, and legal affairs of the City.\n\n### Essential City Services\n- Establishment of a city fire station headed by a fire marshal ensuring firefighting and emergency response.\n- Maintenance of a secure and humane city jail with a qualified warden.\n- Setting up of a city school division under a competent superintendent.\n- Creation of a city prosecution service responsible for criminal prosecutions and legal services under Department of Justice supervision.\n\n### Transitory Provisions and Implementation\n- Existing municipal ordinances continue until amended by the City Council.\n- Corporate existence begins upon plebiscite ratification by qualified voters.\n- Current officials of the municipality continue to serve until new city elections.\n- City succeeds to all assets, liabilities, and obligations of the municipality.\n- Voters in the City can participate in provincial elections.\n- The City remains under Bulacan Province’s jurisdiction unless otherwise provided by law.\n- Taxes rates are frozen for five years post-conversion to city status.\n- Until legislated otherwise, City remains part of Bulacan’s Fourth Congressional District.\n- The Local Government Code of 1991 and applicable laws govern the City subject to provisions of this Act.\n- Provisions for resolving boundary disputes and repealing inconsistent laws included.\n- The Act takes effect upon publication in two newspapers of general circulation.