Corporate Status
- The City is a political body corporate with perpetual succession.
- It exercises municipal corporation powers subject to the Charter.
Powers and Property Rights
- The City has a common seal and may alter it.
- It has the power to take, hold, lease, purchase, convey property, contract, sue and be sued.
- It can condemn property for public use.
City Liability
- The City is not liable for damages from failure or negligence of officials enforcing laws.
Police Jurisdiction
- Extends 3 miles from shore into the sea and 2.5 miles landward around the City.
- Includes areas necessary to protect the city's water supply.
- Police of adjoining municipalities have concurrent jurisdiction.
- Licenses in such zones are granted by local municipalities.
Executive Leadership: The Mayor
- Appointed by the President with Commission on Appointments' consent.
- Salary of ₱4,800 plus an optional ₱2,000 allowance approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
- Acting Mayor duties performed by city engineer, city treasurer, or Presidential appointee as backup.
- Controls executive and administrative functions under Secretary of the Interior supervision.
- Powers include enforcement of laws, safeguard of City property, tax collection oversight, judicial proceedings initiation, supervision of officials, budget submission, licensing authority, and emergency measures.
- Has veto power over ordinances, overridable by two-thirds City Council vote.
Secretary to the Mayor
- Appointed subject to Civil Service rules.
- Acts as chief clerk and secretary to the City Council and other boards.
- Custodian of City records, corporate seal, and civil registry.
- Responsible for ordinance posting and translation into native language.
Public Works Management
- City Engineer directs construction, repairs, and improvements.
- Contracting is allowed through public bidding with specified deposit and procedures.
- Contracts executed in triplicate and approved by the Mayor.
Legislative Body: The City Council
- Composed of the Mayor (presiding officer), city engineer, city treasurer, and five councilors (two appointed, three elected).
- Councilors must be City residents with provincial official status.
- Meetings: weekly regular sessions with quorum of majority.
- Ordinance approval requires majority vote; vetoes subject to override.
- Council controls appropriations and establishes fees, taxes, police and fire regulations, public works, public health, licensing, and moral ordinances.
- Authority extends to public utilities, animal control, nuisances, traffic, sanitation, and general welfare.
Financial Provisions
- Annual real property tax capped at 2% ad valorem.
- Penalties for delinquent tax payments range from 5% to 15%.
- Procedures for seizure and auction of personal and real property for unpaid taxes.
- Tax liens have priority over other claims.
- Taxpayers have redemption rights within one year of sale.
- Courts require tax payment under protest before entertaining cases on tax validity.
City Departments and Officials
- Departments include Engineering/Public Works, Law, Finance, Police, and others as created.
- Municipal Court headed by a Judge with jurisdiction over police zone.
- City Engineer responsible for public works, property care, and enforcing building regulations.
- City Attorney is chief legal adviser, represents the City in civil and criminal matters, and supervises prosecutions.
- Chief of Police manages law enforcement and detainees within police jurisdiction.
- All relevant officials and police are peace officers with authority to serve court processes.
- City Treasurer manages collection, safekeeping, and disbursement of city funds.
- City Assessor assesses real estate annually and manages tax lists and hearings.
- Board of Tax Appeals composed of City Council members, hears tax appeals.
Appointment and Compensation
- President appoints key officials; Mayor appoints other personnel subject to Civil Service Law.
- Salaries fixed for key officials with other compensation determined by ordinance.
- Restrictions on officials engaging in contracts or transactions with the City to prevent conflict of interest.
Bureaus Performing Municipal Duties
- Auditor General audits accounts.
- Purchasing Agent manages all supply acquisitions.
- Education Department managed by Director of Education and local school board.
- City Health Officer oversees public health and sanitation, enforces health laws.
Tax Allotments and Special Assessments
- City entitled to internal revenue allocation as a province.
- City Council may levy special assessments up to 60% of costs for public improvements benefiting specific districts.
- Procedures for public hearing, publication, and assessment notification are prescribed.
- Payments treated as taxes with same penalties and liens.
Transition and Operational Provisions
- City government organized upon official appointments.
- Jurisdiction transferred from Province of Zamboanga.
- City Council assumes election duties locally.
- Province and City remain one assembly district until law provides otherwise.
- City to acquire abandoned provincial properties upon capital transfer.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect upon approval (October 12, 1936).