Corporate and General Powers of the City
- The City is a political body corporate with perpetual succession.
- Powers include suing/being sued, acquiring/conveying property, contracting, exercising powers granted to corporations.
- Possession of a common seal, tax levying authority, regulation of roads, and property management.
- City and officials are liable for damages.
- Police jurisdiction extends over territorial jurisdiction and water supply drainage areas.
- City court has concurrent jurisdiction over specified areas.
City Officials and Appointments
- Officials include city mayor, vice mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, and various department heads.
- Mayor authorized to appoint officials with sangguniang panlungsod concurrence, subject to civil service laws.
- Authorization to establish fire station, jail, school division, and prosecution service.
City Mayor's Powers and Duties
- Chief executive elected at large for 3-year terms.
- Must meet age, residency, and voter qualifications.
- Powers include policy guideline formation, city development planning, legislative proposal, appointments, business transactions representation.
- Emergency powers during disasters, approval of leave, official trips, and oversight functions.
- Authority to solemnize marriages and organize city sports events.
- Reports to metropolitan authorities and Office of the President.
City Vice Mayor's Role
- Elected similarly to mayor with the same qualifications.
- Presides over sangguniang panlungsod meetings, signs financial warrants.
- Appoints sangguniang panlungsod officials, assumes mayoral duties during vacancies.
Legislative Body: Sangguniang Panlungsod
- Composed of vice mayor (presiding officer), regular members, sectoral representatives including women, workers, and special sectors.
- Elective members must be at least 18 years old.
- Legislative functions include enacting ordinances, reviewing barangay ordinances, fostering peace and order, environmental protection, fiscal management, land use regulation, and granting franchises.
- Powers to regulate business, public utilities, amusement, traffic, sanitation, education programs, social welfare, and general city governance.
Legislative Procedures and Sessions
- Rules of procedure adopted within 90 days after election.
- Members disclose financial/business interests to avoid conflicts.
- Minimum regular sessions and protocols for quorum, special sessions, vetoes, and ordinance approval set.
- Mayor can veto ordinances or parts thereof; override by two-thirds vote of sangguniang panlungsod.
Disqualifications and Succession
- Disqualifications for elective positions include criminal convictions, administrative removals, dual citizenship, and residency requirements.
- Procedures for filling permanent and temporary vacancies established.
- Succession prioritized from vice mayor, highest ranking sangguniang members, and appointments by political parties.
Appointive Officials: Qualifications, Powers, and Duties
- Detailed qualifications such as citizenship, residency, education, and experience for positions including secretary of the sangguniang panlungsod, city treasurer, assessor, accountant, budget officer, planning coordinator, engineer, health officer, civil registrar, administrator, legal officer, social welfare officer, environment officer, architect, information officer, cooperatives officer, population officer, veterinarian, and general services officer.
- Each official’s functions defined, focusing on administrative, technical, legal, social, environmental, and development responsibilities.
- Coordination with city mayor, sangguniang panlungsod, and other offices emphasized.
City Fire Station and Jail Service
- Establishment of a fire station headed by a city fire marshal with firefighting and emergency responsibilities.
- Establishment of a city jail headed by a city jail warden responsible for humane custody and rehabilitation.
City Prosecution Service
- Creation of a city prosecution office under Department of Justice supervision.
- The city prosecutor heads criminal prosecutions in city courts.
Registry of Deeds Office
- Establishment of a city registry of deeds under the supervision of the Land Registration Authority and Department of Justice.
- The city register of deeds must be a member of the Philippine Bar.
Public Schools Division
- Public school division combining Malabon and Navotas with a division superintendent.
Transitory and Final Provisions
- Health Fund established with annual allocations minimum of 2.5% IRA or P10 million, administered by the city health officer.
- Livelihood Fund of P2 million annually established for entrepreneurial programs, managed by the city cooperatives officer.
- Existing municipal ordinances remain effective until replaced.
- Establishment of corporate status upon plebiscite ratification.
- Current municipal officials continue until new elections; automatic absorption by the city government for appointive officials.
- No increase in local tax rates for five years after incorporation.
- City remains in lone congressional district pending law.
- Applicability of Local Government Code and other laws subject to consistency.
- Separability clause for invalid provisions.
- Effectivity upon approval of the Act.