Charter establishing Roxas City goverce

City police jurisdiction and water-supply protection

The City’s police purposes jurisdiction is coextensive with its territorial jurisdiction under Section 6.
For water protection, police jurisdiction extends over all territory within the drainage area of the City water supply under Section 6.
Police jurisdiction for water protection also extends over all territory within one hundred meters of any reservoir, conduit, canal, aqueduct, or pumping station used in connection with the City water service under Section 6.

Liability limitation for enforcement failures

The City is not liable for damages or injuries arising from the failure of the Municipal Board, the Mayor, or any other City officer or employee to enforce the Charter or other laws or ordinances under Section 5.
The City is also not liable for damages or injuries arising from negligence of the Municipal Board, Mayor, or City officers or employees while enforcing or attempting to enforce the Charter or other laws or ordinances under Section 5.

Mayor: appointment, compensation, and duties

The Mayor is appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments and holds office at the pleasure of the President under Section 7.
The Mayor receives a salary of four thousand eight hundred pesos per annum under Section 7.
With Presidential approval, the Mayor may be given a non-commutable allowance not exceeding two thousand pesos per annum under Section 7.
The Mayor has immediate control over executive and administrative functions of city departments, subject to Presidential authority and supervision, unless otherwise provided by law under Section 9.
The Mayor must enforce laws and ordinances and issue necessary orders for faithful enforcement and execution under Section 9.
The Mayor oversees safeguards of City lands, buildings, records, moneys, credits, and other property and rights, and has control over City property subject to the Charter under Section 9.
The Mayor must ensure collection of City taxes and revenues in accordance with appropriations for municipal expenses under Section 9.
The Mayor shall cause judicial proceedings to recover City property and funds and defend suits against the City under Section 9.
The Mayor must ensure officers and employees properly discharge their duties and may inspect books, records, and papers of officers/agents/employees under executive supervision at least once a year and whenever occasion arises, with clerical or other assistance from the Municipal Board under Section 9.
The Mayor represents the City in business matters and signs, in the City’s behalf, bonds, contracts, and obligations made in accordance with law or ordinance under Section 9.
The Mayor must submit a budget of receipts and expenditures to the Municipal Board at least two months before the beginning of each fiscal year under Section 9.
The Mayor must receive, hear, and decide petitions, complaints, and claims of residents regarding administrative or executive municipal matters under Section 9.
The Mayor grants or refuses municipal licenses or permits and may revoke them for violation of conditions or when prohibited acts are committed under the protection of such licenses, in the licensed premises, or for other good reason of general interest under Section 9.
The Mayor must take emergency measures to avoid fires and floods and mitigate public calamities under Section 9.
The Mayor must submit an annual report to the President of the Philippines under Section 9.
The Mayor performs other duties and exercises other executive powers as may be prescribed by law or ordinance under Section 9.

Vice-mayor, secretarial functions, and records fees

There shall be a vice-mayor who performs the Mayor’s duties during the Mayor’s sickness, absence, or other temporary incapacity, or during a definitive vacancy until filled according to law under Section 8.
The vice-mayor presides over Municipal Board meetings but has no right to vote except in case of tie under Section 8.
If the vice-mayor is temporarily incapacitated or if the vice-mayor office is vacant, the city treasurer performs the Mayor’s duties under Section 8.
The vice-mayor is appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on Appointments and holds office at the pleasure of the President under Section 8.
The vice-mayor receives compensation of three thousand pesos per annum under Section 8.
The Mayor appoints one secretary who holds office at the pleasure of the Mayor and receives one thousand-eight hundred pesos per annum under Section 10.
The City secretary keeps custody of City records and documents (for offices without other provision), keeps and affixes the corporate seal, signs with authorization on official acts, attests executive orders and proclamations and ordinances/resolutions signed by the Mayor, and provides certified copies upon request for non-confidential records under Section 10.
The secretary charges fifty centavos for each one hundred words including the certificate for certified copies, paid directly to the City treasurer under Section 10.

Municipal Board: composition, sessions, and voting rules

The Municipal Board is the legislative body of the City under Section 11.
The Board is composed of the vice-mayor as presiding officer, and six councilors under Section 11.
Three councilors are appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on Appointments, and three are elected at large by popular vote during every election for provincial and municipal officials in conformity with the Revised Election Code under Section 11.
The three appointed councilors serve terms of four years, three years, and two years, unless removed earlier in accordance with law under Section 11.
Pending the next general elections, the elective councilors’ offices are filled in the same manner as the appointed councilors’ offices under Section 11.
If sickness, absence, suspension, or other temporary disability prevents any member from acting, or if needed to maintain a quorum, the President may appoint a temporary substitute with full rights and duties of a member until the regular incumbent returns under Section 11.
If any Municipal Board member is a candidate for office in an election, the member is disqualified to act with the Board on election matters, and the other members discharge those duties or may choose a disinterested elector to act in the member’s stead under Section 11.
Each Municipal Board member receives ten pesos for each day of attendance of Board sessions under Section 11.
Elective members must be qualified electors of the City, residents for at least one year, and at least twenty-three years of age under Section 12.
Elective members assume office on the date fixed in the Revised Election Code until successors are elected and qualified under Section 12.
If an election fails on the date fixed by law or results in failure to elect one or more elective members, the President issues a proclamation calling a special election to fill the office as soon as practicable under Section 12.
If a member-elect dies before assumption of office, or election is not confirmed due to disloyalty, or the member-elect fails to qualify, the President may call a special election or fill the office by appointment under Section 12.
Vacancies in elective councilor offices after assumption are filled by appointment by the President of a suitable person belonging to the same political party of the officer to be replaced under Section 12.
Suspensions and removals of elective Municipal Board members follow the same circumstances, manner, and effect as for elective provincial officials, and the legal provisions for those provincial officials apply to the Municipal Board under Section 12.
The Board appoints a secretary to serve during the members’ term, receiving one thousand eight hundred pesos per annum under Section 13.
A vacancy in the Board secretary office is filled temporarily for the unexpired term in like manner under Section 13.
The Board secretary keeps full records, files documents, records ordinances/resolutions/motions that direct payment or create liability with dates of passage and publication of ordinances, keeps a seal inscribed “Municipal Board-City of Roxas”, affixes it to ordinances and acts, causes each ordinance to be published, provides public copies with certified copies under Section 13, charges fifty centavos for each one hundred words including certificate for copies (paid to the City treasurer), and keeps office and non-confidential records open to public inspection during usual business hours under Section 13.

Ordinance making: quorum, open sessions, enactment

The Municipal Board holds one ordinary session weekly on a day fixed by resolution, unless the President orders otherwise under Section 14.
The Mayor may call extraordinary sessions, not exceeding fifteen in any one year under Section 14.
The Board sits with open doors unless otherwise ordered by an affirmative vote of four members under Section 14.
The Board keeps records of proceedings and determines its rules of procedure not provided in the Charter under Section 14.
A quorum is four members for transaction of business under Section 14.
If fewer than four members are present, they may adjourn from day to day and compel immediate attendance of an absent member by ordering arrest and production at the session under penalties previously prescribed by ordinance under Section 14.
Four affirmative votes are required to pass any ordinance, and also for any resolution or motion directing payment of money or creating liability under Section 14.
Measures not covered by the four-vote rule pass by majority vote of members present at a meeting duly called and held under Section 14.
The ayes and nays must be taken and recorded upon passage of all ordinances; upon passage of resolutions or motions directing payment of money or creating liability; and upon request of any member on any other resolution or motion under Section 14.
Approved ordinances/resolutions/motions direct payment or create liability are sealed with the Board seal, signed by the presiding officer and secretary, recorded in a designated book, posted at the City Hall main entrance by the secretary on the day following passage, and take effect on the tenth day following passage unless otherwise stated or vetoed by the Mayor under Section 14.
A vetoed ordinance, if repassed, takes effect ten days after the veto is overridden by the required votes unless otherwise stated or again disapproved within the specified time under Section 14.

Veto procedure and Presidential disapproval power

Each ordinance and each resolution or motion directing payment of money or creating liability must be forwarded to the Mayor for approval under Section 14.
The Mayor must return it within ten days after receipt with approval or veto under Section 14.
If the Mayor does not return it within ten days, the measure is deemed approved under Section 14.
If vetoed, the Mayor’s written reasons must accompany the veto under Section 14.
A vetoed measure may be again enacted by affirmative votes of five members, then forwarded to the Mayor; if the Mayor does not again return it with veto within ten days, it is deemed approved under Section 14.
If the Mayor again vetoes within that ten-day period, the measure is forwarded forthwith to the President for approval or disapproval, which is final under Section 14.
The Mayor may veto particular items in an appropriation ordinance or items in ordinances/resolutions/motions directing payment of money or creating liability, without affecting non-objected items under Section 14.
Vetoed items do not take effect except under the ordinance/veto repassage rules for items returned with veto under Section 14.
For an appropriation item disapproved by the Mayor, the corresponding item in the prior year appropriation is deemed restored unless expressly directed in the veto under Section 14.
The President may disapprove any ordinance, resolution, or motion (in whole or in part) if it is beyond the powers conferred upon the Board under Section 14.

Board legislative powers and limits

The Municipal Board has legislative powers subject to conditions and limitations under Section 15.
The Board may levy and collect taxes for general and special purposes in accordance with law, including real property tax not exceeding two per centum ad valorem under Section 15(a).
The Board shall make appropriations for city government expenses under Section 15(b).
The Board may fix, with Presidential approval, the number and salaries of officials and employees not otherwise provided in the Act under Section 15(c).
The Board may authorize, with Presidential approval, free distribution of medicines to city employees and laborers whose salary or wage does not exceed sixty pesos per month or two pesos and fifty centavos per day under Section 15(d).
The Board may authorize free distribution of fresh or evaporated native milk to indigent mothers residing in the City under Section 15(d).
The Board may authorize distribution of bread and light meals to indigent children of ten years or less residing in the City under Section 15(d).
The free distributions must be under direct supervision and control of the Mayor under Section 15(d).
The Board may fix the tariff of fees and charges for services rendered by the City or its departments under Section 15(e).
The Board may provide for erection/maintenance or rental of buildings needed for City use under Section 15(f).
The Board may establish and maintain intermediate schools and, with approval of the Director of Public Schools, fix reasonable tuition fees under Section 15(g).
The Board may establish or aid vocational schools and institutions of higher learning conducted by the National Government or its subdivisions and agencies, and with approval of the Director of Public Schools, fix reasonable tuition fees under Section 15(h).
The Board may maintain an efficient police force and enact police ordinances for confinement and reformation of vagrants, disorderly persons, mendicants, prostitutes, and persons convicted of violating city ordinances under Section 15(i).
The Board may provide an official fire force with facilities and equipment, and regulate management and use under Section 15(j).
The Board may establish fire zones, regulate building types and construction within limits, and fix permit fees for construction, repair, or demolition under Section 15(k).
The Board may regulate use of lights and restrict issuance of permits for bonfires and use of firecrackers, fireworks, skyrockets, and other pyrotechnic displays, and fix permit fees under Section 15(l).
The Board may make regulations to protect against conflagration and prevent/mitigate effects of famine, floods, storms, and other public calamities, and provide relief under Section 15(m).
The Board may regulate and fix license fees for enumerated occupations and public amusements/places, and for keeping, preparation, and sale of enumerated food and provisions under Section 15(n).
The Board may tax and fix license fees on dealers in new automobiles or accessories (or both) and retail dealers in new merchandise not yet subject to municipal tax, classifying retail dealers into (A) general merchandise and (B) specific categories (a) through (h) under Section 15(o).
The Board may impose a tax on all professionals, including lawyers and many other listed professionals, not exceeding fifty per centum of the national tax on said professionals under Section 15(p).
The Board may impose a tax on products or commodities manufactured or produced in the City and removed therefrom under Section 15(q).
The Board may tax, fix license fees, regulate business, and fix location of enumerated potentially dangerous establishments (including match factories, steam boilers, storage and sale of various combustibles and explosives), and regulate tanneries, renderies, tallow chandleries, embalmers, funeral parlors, bone factories, and soap factories, subject to rules/regulations by the Director of Health under Section 15(r).
The Board may impose tax on motor and other vehicles and draft animals not paying any national tax, but exempts automobiles and trucks belonging to the National Government or to any provincial or municipal government and automobiles/trucks not regularly kept in the City under Section 15(s).
The Board may regulate method of using steam engines and boilers and other motive powers other than marine or government, provide inspection for a reasonable fee, and regulate and fix fees for licenses of engineers operating such motive powers under Section 15(t).
The Board may enact ordinances for maintenance and preservation of peace and good morals under Section 15(u).
The Board may regulate and fix license fees for keeping dogs, authorize impounding and destruction when running at large contrary to ordinances, and tax and regulate keeping or training of fighting cocks under Section 15(v).
The Board may establish and maintain municipal pounds, regulate restrain and prohibit animals running at large, provide for distraining/impounding/sale and provide penalties upon owners for ordinance violations under Section 15(w).
The Board may prohibit and provide punishment for cruelty to animals under Section 15(x).
The Board may regulate inspection, weighing, and measuring of brick, lumber, coal, and other merchandise under Section 15(y).
The Board may regulate and fix licenses for dance halls, cabarets, and cockpits under Section 15(z).
The Board may enact comprehensive street and public-place ordinances covering construction/improvement and regulation of streets, wharves, parks, cemeteries; lighting/cleaning/sprinkling; regulating signs/awnings/banners/placards/advertisements and flying of signs/flags/banners; prohibiting obstacles and offensive matter in public places; regulating gas/water/sewer pipes, tunnels, drains, sewers, culverts, poles and wires; naming streets, numbering houses and lots; regulating traffic and sales; abating nuisances; regulating construction/maintenance of bridges/viaducts/culverts; restricting amusements in streets; regulating speed; regulating railroad tracks and requiring fencing and drainage structures; and compelling raise/lower of railroad tracks to conform to changes unless otherwise provided by law under Section 15(aa).
The Board may provide for construction/maintenance and regulate navigation on canals and water courses in the City and for clearing/purifying them; unless otherwise provided by law, provide for construction/maintenance and regulation of public landing places/wharves/piers/docks/levees and those of private ownership; and provide for or regulate drainage and filling of private premises when necessary to enforce sanitary rules under Section 15(bb).
The Board may, subject to the Public Service Law, fix charges paid by watercraft landing at or using public wharves/docks/levees/landing places owned, operated, managed, or controlled by the City under Section 15(cc).
The Board may provide for maintenance of waterworks for supplying City inhabitants, purification of the source of supply and places through which it passes, and regulate consumption and use; fix rents subject to the Public Service Law; and regulate construction, repair, and use of hydrants, pumps, cisterns, and reservoirs under Section 15(dd).
The Board may provide for establishment/maintenance and regulate use of public drains, sewers, latrines, and cesspools under Section 15(ee).
The Board may, subject to Director of Health rules/regulations, provide for establishment/maintenance/regulations and fix fees for stables/laundries/baths and public markets, and prohibit persons/entities/associations/corporations other than the City from establishing or operating public markets within City limits under Section 15(ff).
The Board may establish or authorize slaughterhouses, provide veterinary/sanitary inspection, regulate use, and charge reasonable slaughter fees; no fees may be charged for veterinary/sanitary inspection of meat from large cattle or other domestic animals slaughtered outside the City when inspection was had at the slaughter place under Section 15(gg).
The Board may regulate/inspect/provide measures preventing discrimination or exclusion of any race in or from any public institution/service open to the public within City limits under Section 15(hh).
The Board may regulate and inspect gas/electric/telephone/street railway conduits, mains, meters, and apparatus, and provide for condemnation/substitution/removal when defective or dangerous under Section 15(hh).
The Board may declare, prevent, and provide for abatement of nuisances; regulate ringing of bells and loud/unusual noises; require owners/agents/tenants to keep buildings/premises sanitary; and if not complied with after sixty days from written notice, assess the cost against the owner not to exceed sixty per centum of assessed value, constituting a lien against the property under Section 15(ii).
The Board may regulate or prohibit and fix license fees for use of property on or near public ways/grounds/places for display of electric signs or erection/maintenance of billboards or structures for posters/signs/pictorial or reading matter, except signs displayed where the profession/business is conducted in whole or part under Section 15(ii).
The Board may provide for enforcement of Director of Health rules and for ordinance-prescribed penalties for violations of those rules/regulations under Section 15(jj).
The Board may extend ordinances over all waters within the City, over boats/floating structures, and for water-purity purposes over drainage area and within one hundred meters of any reservoir/conduit/canal/aqueduct/pumping station used in connection with City water service under Section 15(kk).
The Board may tax, fix license fees, and regulate retail sale/trading/disposal of alcoholic or malt beverages, wines, and mixed or fermented liquor including tuba, basi, tapuy offered for retail sale under Section 15(ll).
The Board may regulate any other business/occupation not specifically mentioned earlier and impose license fees on persons engaged in them or enjoying privileges in the City, including prescribing conditions for revocation under Section 15(mm).
The Board may impose a sales tax not exceeding one per centum of the gross value in money of all articles sold/bartered/exchanged/transferred within the City, but it cannot impose it if a similar tax is imposed by the National Government and the City of Roxas receives a share therein under Section 15(nn).
The Board may grant fishing and fishery privileges subject to the Fisheries Act under Section 15(oo).
The Board may fix the date of the City fiesta not oftener than once a year and may alter the date not oftener than once in three years under Section 15(pp).
The Board may enact ordinances necessary for sanitation/safety, prosperity, promotion of morality/peace/good order/comfort/convenience/general welfare, and to fix penalties for ordinance violations not exceeding a two hundred-peso fine or six months’ imprisonment, or both, for a single offense under Section 15(qq).

Restriction on signs and forfeiture

No commercial sign, signboard, or billboard may be erected or displayed on public lands, premises, or buildings under Section 16.
If, after due investigation and after giving owners an opportunity to be heard, the Mayor determines a sign/signboard/billboard displayed or exposed to public view is offensive or is otherwise a nuisance, the Mayor may order its removal under Section 16.
If removal is not made within ten days after the Mayor issues the removal order, the Mayor may cause the removal and the sign/signboard/billboard is forfeited to the City under Section 16.
Removal expenses become a lawful charge against any person or property liable for the creation or display of the sign under Section 16.

City departments and appointment of key officials

The City has departments for finance, engineering, law, police and fire, health, and assessment under Section 17.
Unless otherwise provided by law, the Mayor has general supervisory control over all City departments under Section 17.
The Municipal Board may readjust duties of departments for the public interest and, with Presidential approval, consolidate departments/divisions/offices under Section 17.
Each department head controls the department and has powers prescribed by the Charter or ordinance under Section 18.
Department heads must certify payrolls and vouchers covering payment of money before payment, except when expressly provided otherwise under Section 18.
Each department head must prepare and present to the Mayor at least three months before the start of each fiscal year an estimate of appropriation needed for the ensuing fiscal year and submit comparative information as the Mayor may desire under Section 18.
Each department head must submit reports to the Mayor as often as required under Section 18.
If a department head is absent, sick, or unable to act, the officer next in charge acts with authority to sign all necessary papers, vouchers, requisitions, and similar documents under Section 18.
The President of the Philippines appoints, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments, the judge and auxiliary judge of the municipal court, city treasurer, city engineer, city attorney, city health officer, chief of police and fire department, and other department heads that may be created under Section 19.
Those officers, except the municipal court judge and auxiliary judge, hold office at the pleasure of the President under Section 19.

Prohibition on transactions with the City

It is unlawful for any City officer, directly or indirectly and individually or as a member of a firm, to engage in business transactions with the City or its authorized officials/boards/agents/attorneys where money is to be paid out of City resources to the person or firm under Section 20.
It is unlawful for such City officers to purchase real estate or other property belonging to the City, or property sold for taxes or assessments or by virtue of legal process at the suit of the City under Section 20.
It is unlawful for such City officers to be surety for any person having a contract or doing business with the City for which security may be required under Section 20.
It is unlawful for such City officers to be surety on the official bond of any City officer under **Section