Charter of the City of Tarlac conversion law

Corporate powers and municipal authority

The City has corporate powers to: have continuous succession in its corporate name; sue and be sued; have and use a corporate seal; acquire and convey real or personal property; and enter into contracts.
The City may exercise powers granted to municipal corporations, subject to limitations in the Charter and other laws.
The City has a common seal that it may alter at pleasure.
The City may exercise governance powers including levy of taxes and the power to close and open roads, streets, alleys, parks or squares, subject to the Constitution and existing laws.
The City may take, purchase, receive, hold, lease, convey, and dispose of property for general interest, and may condemn private property for public use.
The City may prosecute and defend suits to final judgment and execution where it is a party, and may exercise other corporate powers conferred by law.

Liability and police/court jurisdiction zone

The City and its officials are not exempt from liability for death or injury to persons or damage to property.
For police purposes only, the City’s jurisdiction is coextensive with its territorial jurisdiction.
For protecting/insuring the purity of the water supply, the City’s jurisdiction extends to: the drainage area of the water supply, and within one hundred (100) meters of any reservoir, conduit, canal, aqueduct or pumping station used in connection with the City water service.
The city court of the City of Tarlac has concurrent jurisdiction with the city or municipal court of adjoining municipalities/cities to try crimes and misdemeanors committed within the drainage area, or within 100 meters of covered water-supply facilities.
The court first taking cognizance has jurisdiction to the exclusion of others.
Any license issued within the covered drainage/100-meter zone is granted by the proper authorities of the concerned city or municipality, and fees accrue to that local treasury, not to the City of Tarlac.

City officials: structure and appointments

The City government consists of a city mayor, city vice mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, secretary to the sangguniang panlungsod, city treasurer and assistant city treasurer, city assessor and assistant city assessor, city accountant, city budget officer, city planning and development coordinator, city engineer, city health officer, city civil registrar, city administrator, city legal officer, city veterinarian, city social welfare and development officer, and city general services officer.
The city mayor may appoint a city architect, city information officer, city population officer, city environment and natural resources officer, and city cooperatives officer.
The City may maintain existing offices not mentioned, create other necessary offices, or consolidate functions of offices for efficiency and economy.
Unless otherwise provided, appointive city officials are appointed by the city mayor with concurrence of the majority of all sangguniang panlungsod members, subject to Civil Service Law, rules and regulations.
The sangguniang panlungsod must act on the appointment within fifteen (15) days from submission; otherwise, the appointment is deemed confirmed.

City mayor: election, compensation, executive functions

The city mayor is the chief executive of the City.
The city mayor is elected at large by qualified voters of the City.
Eligibility requires, at the time of election: at least twenty-one (21) years of age, an actual resident of the City for at least one (1) year prior to election, and a qualified voter.
The city mayor holds office for three (3) years, unless sooner removed.
The city mayor receives a minimum monthly compensation corresponding to Salary Grade Thirty (30) as prescribed under Republic Act No. 6758 and its implementing guidelines.
The city mayor must, among others, determine guidelines of city policies; be responsible to the sangguniang panlungsod for the program of government; direct formulation of the city development plan with city development council assistance and implement it upon approval.
The city mayor must present the program of government annually at the opening of the regular session and propose policies/projects for sangguniang panlungsod consideration.
The city mayor must initiate legislative measures, provide needed information to the sangguniang panlungsod, appoint officials/employees whose salaries/wages are wholly or mainly from city funds (when appointments are not otherwise provided in the Charter), represent the City in transactions, and sign bonds/contracts/obligations and other documents upon authority of the sangguniang panlungsod or pursuant to law/ordinance.
The city mayor must carry out emergency measures during and after man-made/natural disasters and calamities, and enforce executive orders for faithful enforcement of laws/ordinances.
The city mayor must execute governance duties including: examining books/records of offices (and requiring availability of records from national officials/staff except confidential records); furnishing copies of executive orders within seventy-two (72) hours; visiting component barangays at least once every six (6) months; acting on leave applications and commutation of leave credits under law; authorizing official trips outside the City for not more than thirty (30) days; coordinating with national officials stationed/assigned to the City; and filing proceedings against city officials/employees who committed offenses in official duties.
The city mayor may solemnize marriages.
The city mayor must conduct an annual palarong panlungsod in coordination with Department of Education, Culture and Sports.
The city mayor must submit annual and supplemental reports to the appropriate metropolitan authority council chairmen and to the Office of the President.
The city mayor must issue licenses/permits and suspend or revoke them for violations of conditions, and may issue permits for charitable/welfare activities (excluding prohibited games of chance or shows contrary to law, public policy, and public morals).
The city mayor must require owners of illegally constructed houses/buildings/structures to obtain permits (subject to fines/penalties under law or ordinance), make changes, or order demolition/removal within periods prescribed by law or ordinance.
The city mayor must be deputized representative of the National Police Commission, formulate and implement the City peace and order plan upon approval, and exercise general and operational control and supervision over local police forces in accordance with Republic Act No. 6975.
The city mayor must call law enforcement agencies to suppress disorder, riot, lawless violence, rebellion or sedition, or to apprehend violators when public interest requires and city police are inadequate.
The city mayor must maximize revenue generation and apply resources to city development plans/program objectives/priorities, including agro-industrial development and countryside growth.
The city mayor must ensure budget preparation and submission (executive and supplemental budgets) for the ensuing calendar year through processes under Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991).
The city mayor must ensure collection of city taxes and revenues and application of city funds to expenses and obligations in accordance with law/ordinance.
The city mayor must ensure delivery of basic services and adequate facilities, including coordinating national-funded roads/highways construction and coordinating technical services rendered by national offices.
The city mayor must perform other duties/powers under Republic Act No. 7160 and those prescribed by law or ordinance.
The city mayor may carry the necessary firearm within territorial jurisdiction.
The city mayor may call conventions/conferences/seminars/meetings of elective and appointive officials (including national officials assigned to the City) to promote general welfare.

City vice mayor and sangguniang panlungsod

The city vice mayor is elected like the city mayor and must possess the same qualifications (with the same election qualifications).
The city vice mayor holds office for three (3) years, unless sooner removed.
Compensation corresponds to Salary Grade Twenty-six (26) under Republic Act No. 6758 and implementing guidelines.
The vice mayor serves as presiding officer of the sangguniang panlungsod.
The vice mayor signs warrants drawn on the city treasury for expenditures appropriated for the sangguniang panlungsod operations.
The vice mayor appoints sangguniang panlungsod officials/employees subject to Civil Service rules and regulations, except those whose appointment is specifically provided by existing law.
The vice mayor assumes the office of the city mayor for the unexpired term upon permanent vacancy, and performs city mayor powers/duties in cases of temporary vacancy.
The vice mayor must perform other duties/powers under Republic Act No. 7160 and those prescribed by law or ordinance.
The sangguniang panlungsod is the City legislative body.
It is composed of: the city vice mayor (presiding officer), regular sanggunian members, the president of the city chapter of the liga ng mga barangay, the president of the panlungsod na pederasyon ng mga sangguniang kabataan, and sectoral representatives.
There are three (3) sectoral representatives: one (1) from the women, one (1) from agricultural or industrial workers, and one (1) from other sectors including the urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, or disabled persons.
Sectoral representative selection by the sangguniang panlungsod must be determined within ninety (90) days prior to local elections.
Regular sanggunian members and sectoral representatives are elected as provided by law.
All elective sanggunian members must possess the same qualifications as the city mayor and city vice mayor, except candidates must be at least eighteen (18) years old on election day.
Members receive com