Law Summary
City Boundaries
- Detailed metes and bounds description define Quezon City's territorial limits.
- Total area of approximately 15,359 hectares.
- Boundaries include natural landmarks such as rivers and estates.
City Liability and Enforcement
- The city shall not be liable for damages due to failure or negligence of officers enforcing laws.
Conduct of Elections
- The City Council shall perform election-related duties assigned by the Election Code to provincial and municipal boards.
- City Treasurer and City Secretary assume duties of provincial treasurers and municipal secretaries.
Police Jurisdiction
- Police jurisdiction coextensive with territorial boundaries.
- Extended jurisdiction over water supply drainage areas and reservoirs.
- Municipal courts and Court of First Instance have concurrent jurisdiction over crimes in water supply areas.
Representative Districts
- Quezon City continues to belong to the First and Second Representative Districts of Rizal Province until otherwise legislated.
The Mayor
- Chief executive of the city; supervises executive departments under Secretary of the Interior.
- Appointed by the President with Commission on Appointments' consent; salary up to 9,000 pesos per year.
- Powers include law enforcement, supervision of city officials, prosecuting derelictions, recommending measures to City Council, presiding over meetings, signing ordinances, inspecting records, representing the city, appointing and suspending officials, judicial proceedings to protect city interests, and preparing annual reports.
- May grant emergency measures and excuse deserving poor pupils from school fees.
- Authority to grant or revoke municipal licenses and permits.
- Power to remove unlawful constructions.
Vice-Mayor
- Member of City Council; acts as Mayor during absence or disability except removal powers.
- Appointed by the President with consent; salary up to 3,600 pesos.
- City Engineer acts as Mayor if Vice-Mayor incapacitated or vacant.
City Council
- Composed of Mayor (chair), Vice-Mayor, and eight members appointed by the President.
- Regular meetings twice weekly; meetings open to public unless majority votes otherwise.
- Ordinances need majority vote; ordinance procedures detailed.
- Council fixes compensation; councilors receive up to 3,600 pesos annually if not government officials.
Powers and Duties of City Council
- Appropriations and salaries establishment.
- Tax levy and revenue collection.
- License regulation and taxation over numerous businesses and establishments including hawkers, hotels, clubs, public vehicles, food preparation, and others.
- Regulation over streets, public places, public safety, nuisances, police force, city departments, public utilities including electric light and waterworks.
- Imposing penalties not exceeding fines of 200 pesos or 6 months imprisonment with labor options.
- Establishment of schools, vocational institutions, and tuition fee regulations.
- Regulatory powers over amusements, gambling, and public order.
City Secretary
- Appointed by the President; salary up to 4,800 pesos.
- Secretary to City Council and other boards; keeps records, journals, and affixes city seal.
- Publishes ordinances and keeps official city documents.
City Departments
- Include Engineering, Finance, Law, Health, Police, Assessment, and Fire Departments.
- Mayor supervises departments; department heads have operational control and must certify pay rolls.
- Temporary acting officers receive salary of permanent head.
Appointment of Officials
- President appoints key city officials (health officer, engineer, police chief, treasurer, assessor, attorney, judges, superintendent of schools) with consent.
- Temporary appointments allowed during absences.
Conflict of Interest
- City officers/employees prohibited from direct or indirect interest in city contracts/transactions or business related to the city.
Relationship to National Bureaus
- Auditor General audits city accounts.
- Director of Public Schools has jurisdiction; city superintendent manages city schools, paid by city.
- City Council may compensate city schools superintendent to equal city department heads.
City Engineer
- Heads engineering department; salary up to 7,200 pesos.
- Supervises surveying, public works, property monuments, public buildings, sanitation, permits, numbering of houses, streets, parks, water and sewer systems.
- Authorized to remove unlawful/dangerous buildings; approves construction safety.
- Charges fees for certain services.
Public Works Execution
- Contract works over 3,000 pesos require bidding unless approved for city administration.
- Works under 3,000 pesos may be done by engineer or contract.
City Treasurer
- Chief fiscal officer; salary up to 7,800 pesos.
- Collects all city taxes, licenses, rents, fees; administers markets and slaughterhouses.
- Keeps city funds; disburses upon lawful warrants.
- Collects national government taxes within city.
- Reports annual financial statement; aids budget preparation.
City Attorney
- Legal adviser; chief of law department with assistants.
- Represents city in civil cases; prosecutes crimes including ordinance violations.
- Investigates neglect or misconduct; institutes proceedings to protect city.
- Issues subpoenas; may investigate suspicious deaths.
- Compensation fixed by ordinance.
Municipal Court
- Two judges; jurisdiction over petty crimes, misdemeanors, and ordinance violations within city police jurisdiction.
- Holds daily sessions; handles preliminary examinations.
- Powers include issuing processes, compelling witnesses, punishing contempt.
- Appeals go to Court of First Instance; procedures defined.
Health Department
- City Health Officer supervises public health, sanitation, cemeteries, markets.
- Enforces health laws; prosecutes violations.
- Controls sanitation employees and health establishments.
- Ex-officio civil registrar.
Police Department
- Chief of Police manages police and detectives; salary up to 8,400 pesos.
- Quells disturbances; arrests violators; serves court processes.
- Peace officers authorized with powers including warrantless arrests.
- Mayor can appoint special police during emergencies.
Department of Assessment
- City Assessor assesses all taxable real property annually.
- May administer oaths, summon witnesses, and list property, including unknown owners.
- Public notices of assessment; complaint hearings.
- Maintains records, issues certified copies.
Real Property Tax
- Ad valorem tax levied annually up to 2% of assessed value.
- Exemptions include government properties, cemeteries, churches, small property values.
- Taxes payable by May 31; penalties for delinquency escalating monthly up to 16%.
- Payment in two installments allowed.
- City Treasurer authorized to collect via distraint and sale of personal or real property.
- Exemptions from seizure for tools, essential personal property, professional libraries, small fishing boats.
- Tax liens superior to other liens; priority enforcement.
- Procedures for tax sales, forfeiture, and conveyance to city detailed.
- Rights of redemption and repurchase provided.
- Suits challenging tax validity require tax payment under protest first.
Fire Department
- Chief of Fire Department manages fire services; salary 6,000 pesos.
- Control over fire apparatus, fire police powers, removal of property to prevent fire spread.
- Investigates origins of fires; inspects buildings for fire safety.
- Supervises electrical wiring and storage of flammable/explosive materials.
Special Assessments for Public Improvements
- City Council may levy special assessments on benefited properties for public improvements.
- Ordinances must describe improvements, costs, districts, and payment terms.
- Public hearings, publication, and mayoral review process for protests.
- Assessments adjusted upon actual cost certification.
- Appeals to Board of Tax Appeals allowed.
- Payment and enforcement like regular taxes.
Special Assessments for National Roads
- Same process as public improvements, but levied under direction of the President.
- Proceeds accrue to National Treasury for road projects.
- Appeals to President allowed.
Regulation of Amusement Places and Intoxicating Liquors
- City Council and Mayor have exclusive power to regulate amusement places and sale of intoxicating liquors.
- Existing laws remain in force until superseded by city ordinances.
Administration of Landed Estates
- Quezon City administers estates purchased by National Government for resale to tenants.
- City Council sets terms prioritizing bona fide tenants, laborers, veterans.
- Price limits include purchase price plus subdivision costs.
- Interest limited to 4% on unpaid balances.
- No administration costs charged to buyers.
- City authorized to acquire private lands for home lots sale with similar conditions.
Final Provisions
- Repeals previous related Commonwealth Acts and Republic Acts.
- Charter takes effect upon approval on June 16, 1950.