Corporate and General Powers of the City
- The city is a political body corporate with perpetual succession.
- Powers include suing and being sued, using a corporate seal, acquiring and conveying property, entering contracts, and exercising municipal corporate powers.
- The city may levy taxes, manage roads and public properties, and appropriate private property for public use.
- Liability for damages is maintained against the city and officials.
Police Jurisdiction
- Police jurisdiction extends to the city territory and the drainage area supplying its water, including 100 meters around water supply infrastructure.
- Courts in Tuguegarao and adjoining municipalities have concurrent jurisdiction over crimes in the drainage area.
- Licensing fees in the drainage area accrue to the respective city or municipality.
City Officials
- Elected officials include city mayor, vice mayor, and sangguniang panlungsod members.
- Appointed officials cover multiple specialized roles such as treasurer, assessor, accountant, planner, engineer, health officer, legal officer, veterinarians, social welfare, and others.
- The mayor may create other offices and appoint officials subject to sangguniang panlungsod approval.
City Mayor
- Must be a natural-born Filipino, at least 21 years old, resident of the city for at least one year, and a qualified voter.
- Serves a three-year term with specific compensation.
- Chief executive with powers to oversee government programs, enforce laws, appoint officials, represent the city, respond to emergencies, manage budgets, enforce administrative accountability, and coordinate with national agencies.
- Has authority in police control, resource mobilization, basic services delivery, legal initiations, and solemnizing marriages.
City Vice Mayor
- Also elected at large with similar qualifications and a three-year term.
- Presides over the sangguniang panlungsod and manages budget disbursements for the legislative body.
- Appoints officials under his jurisdiction.
- Assumes mayoralty in case of permanent vacancy and acts during temporary mayoral absence.
Sangguniang Panlungsod (Legislative Council)
- Composed of the vice mayor as presiding officer, 12 regular members, barangay and youth federation presidents, and sectoral representatives.
- Powers include:
- Enacting ordinances and resolutions for peace, order, public welfare, and local governance.
- Reviewing barangay ordinances for consistency.
- Managing city budget and levying taxes.
- Granting franchises and regulating business and public utilities.
- Land use planning and zoning authority.
- Regulating nuisances, building conditions, sanitation, and public safety.
- Establishing markets, transportation regulation, public services, waste management, social welfare, education support, jails, and cultural and elderly councils.
Legislative Processes and Sessions
- Rules of procedure must be adopted and cover organization, legislative process, member discipline, and committees.
- Full disclosure of financial and business interests is required to avoid conflicts of interest.
- Regular sessions must be weekly; special sessions may be called by the mayor or majority members.
- Quorum is a majority of elected members; absent members without cause may be compelled to attend.
- Ordinances require mayoral approval; vetoes can be overridden by two-thirds of sangguniang members.
- Ordinances are subject to review by the provincial sangguniang within 30 days.
- Barangay ordinances are reviewed by the sangguniang panlungsod with prescribed timelines.
Election, Disqualifications, and Succession
- Disqualifications include final conviction for moral turpitude, administrative removal, dual citizenship, fugitives from justice, permanent foreign residency, and mental incapacity.
- Permanent vacancies of mayor or vice mayor are filled by automatic succession based on sangguniang ranking.
- Other sangguniang vacancies are filled by appointment from the political party of the incumbent.
- Temporary mayoral incapacity transfers duties to the vice mayor with limited powers if under 30 days.
City Appointive Officials and Their Duties
- Various offices headed by qualified professionals appointed under civil service laws.
- Key officials include secretary of the sangguniang panlungsod, city treasurer and assistant, city assessor and assistant, city accountant, budget officer, planning and development coordinator, city engineer, health officer, civil registrar, city administrator, legal officer, social welfare officer, environment officer, architect, information officer, cooperatives officer, population officer, veterinarian, general services officer, and agriculturist.
- Each official has defined duties including policy formulation, technical support to the city mayor, program implementation, regulatory enforcement, and disaster response involvement.
Specialized Services
- The city fire station headed by a fire marshal for fire prevention and emergency services.
- The city jail service to maintain a secure and humane detention facility, led by a qualified warden.
- The city school division under the Department of Education overseeing education within the city.
- The city prosecution service under the Department of Justice for criminal cases originating in the city.
Transitional and Miscellaneous Provisions
- Existing municipal ordinances remain in effect until amended by the sangguniang panlungsod.
- Conversion to city status is confirmed by plebiscite within 60 days.
- Current municipal officials continue until new city officials are elected.
- Tuguegarao City remains part of Cagayan Province jurisdiction, voting in provincial elections.
- Tax rate increases are suspended for 15 years, and real property taxes cannot be raised for 5 years post-conversion.
- The city remains part of the third congressional district of Cagayan for legislative representation.
- The Local Government Code governs the city unless inconsistent with this Act.
- Provisions found invalid do not affect the validity of the rest of the Act.
- The Act takes effect upon publication in two newspapers.