Corporate and General Powers
- City is a political body corporate with perpetual succession.
- Powers include suing and being sued, using a corporate seal, owning property, contracting, and other municipal powers.
- Authority to levy taxes, manage real estate, expropriate property, and prosecute suits.
- City officials and government not exempt from liability for damages.
- Police jurisdiction extends to territorial jurisdiction and relevant water supply zones.
City Officials and Appointments
- Key officials include city mayor, vice mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, and administrative officers across various departments.
- Mayor appoints heads of offices with sangguniang panlungsod concurrence within 15 days.
- City can establish specialized offices like fire station, jail, school division, and prosecution service.
City Mayor: Qualifications, Powers, and Duties
- Must be at least 21 years old, resident for at least one year, and qualified voter.
- Elected for a 3-year term with salary grade 30.
- Chief executive responsible for policy guidelines, development planning, legislative proposals, appointments (except those appointed by vice mayor).
- Represents city in business transactions, enforces laws, oversees disaster responses, and visits barangays twice a year.
- Executive powers include issuing executive orders, supervising police, enforcing laws, generating city revenues, and issuing permits.
- Solemnizes marriages, organizes city sports events, and submits regular reports to provincial governor.
City Vice Mayor: Role and Powers
- Same qualifications and election as mayor; salary grade 26
- Presiding officer of the sangguniang panlungsod.
- Appoints sangguniang employees subject to civil service rules.
- Assumes mayor's office if vacant or temporarily incapacitated.
Sanggunian Panlungsod: Composition and Functions
- Composed of vice mayor (presiding), 10 regular members, barangay and youth federation presidents, and sectoral representatives.
- Passes ordinances, resolutions, and regulatory measures for peace and order, environment, social welfare, taxation, land use, and public utilities.
- Manages finance including budgets, loans, bonds, and expenditures.
- Regulates businesses, licensing, public health, sanitation, and local trade.
- Provides allowances to judges, school teachers, and national officials when finances allow.
- Grants legal assistance and group insurance to officials and personnel.
Legislative Process and Session Rules
- Sanggunian adopts internal rules within 90 days post-election.
- Sessions held at least once a week; special sessions may be called for urgent matters.
- Quorum is a majority; enforcement of attendance provided.
- Ordinances approved by mayor or vetoed; veto may be overridden by two-thirds vote.
- Ordinances reviewed by provincial board and barangay sanggunian.
- Ordinances take effect after posting and publication.
Disqualifications and Succession
- Prohibited candidacies include those with convictions involving moral turpitude, dual citizenship, insanity, and other specified conditions.
- Succession in case of vacancy follows vice mayor, then highest ranked sangguniang members.
- Political party affiliation required for appointees filling sangguniang vacancies.
- Temporary mayoral incapacity filled by vice mayor with specific limits on appointment powers.
Appointive Officials: Qualifications and Functions
- Various key city officials including secretary to sangguniang panlungsod, treasurer, assessor, accountant, budget officer, planning coordinator, 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.
- Each official has specified qualifications, term conditions, and detailed duties related to their expertise and city governance.
- Duties include policy formulation, planning, supervision, enforcement, coordination with agencies, public service delivery, and disaster response.
City Fire Station, Jail, School Division, and Prosecution Service
- Fire Station: Established with mandated staffing and equipment; headed by city fire marshal.
- Jail: Secured and sanitary facility headed by qualified warden to respect human rights.
- School Division: Established under department of education headed by qualified superintendent.
- Prosecution Service: Includes city prosecutor and assistants under Department of Justice supervision, handling local criminal prosecutions.
Transitory and Final Provisions
- Existing municipal ordinances remain effective until new city ordinances are enacted.
- City existence ratified by plebiscite among qualified voters.
- Incumbent officials continue functions until new elections.
- City succeeds to municipal assets, liabilities, and jurisdiction remains with Bataan Province.
- Local tax rates frozen for five years post-cityhood.
- City remains part of Bataan’s second congressional district.
- Applicable laws include the Local Government Code of 1991 unless inconsistent.
- Provisions on separability, repeal of inconsistent laws, and effectivity upon publication in newspapers.