Powers and Duties: City Mayor, Vice Mayor, Councilor in the Philippines

City Mayor

Term of Office

• 3 years starting noon of June 30 following election day
• Can be elected to a maximum of 3 consecutive terms 

Qualifications

• Citizen of the Philippines
• Registered voter in the city where he/she intends to be elected
• Resident of the city where he/she intends to be elected for at least 1 year before the day of election
• Able to write in Filipino or any other local language or dialect
• At least 21 years old on election day

Powers and Responsibilities

• Supervise all programs, projects, services, and activities of the city government
• Enforce all laws and ordinances in relation to the governance of the city
• Implement all policies, programs, projects, services, and activities of the city
• Initiate and maximize the generation of resources and revenues and use these for implementing plans
• Ensure that the city has basic services and adequate facilities

Source: Local Government Code of 1991

City Vice Mayor

Term of Office

• 3 years starting noon of June 30 following election day
• Can be elected to a maximum of 3 consecutive terms 

Qualifications

• Citizen of the Philippines
• Registered voter in the city where he/she intends to be elected
• Resident of the city where he/she intends to be elected for at least 1 year before the day of election
• Able to write in Filipino or any other local language or dialect
• At least 21 years old on election day

Powers and Responsibilities

• Preside over the sangguniang panlungsod (city council)
• Sign all warrants for the expenditures of the city council
• Appoint officials and employees of the city council
• Assume the office of the city mayor in the event of a permanent vacancy
• Exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the city mayor in cases of temporary vacancy

Source: Local Government Code of 1991

Sangguniang Panlunsod (City Council) Member

Term of office

• 3 years starting noon of June 30 following election day
• Can be elected to a maximum of 3 consecutive terms 

Qualifications

• Citizen of the Philippines
• Registered voter in the city where he/she intends to be elected
• Resident of the city where he/she intends to be elected for at least 1 year before the day of the election
• Able to write in Filipino or any other local language or dialect
• At least 18 years of age on election day. Candidates of highly urbanized cities need to be at least 21 years old on election day.

Composition of the City Council

• City vice-mayor, who serves as the presiding officer
• Regular elected members
• President of the city’s Liga ng mga Barangay
• President of the city’s Sangguniang Kabataan Federation
• 3 sectoral representatives: 1 from the women, 1 from agricultural or industrial workers, and 1 from other sectors like the urban poor, indigenous communities, or disabled persons.

Powers and Responsibilities

• Approve ordinances and pass resolutions for an effective city government
• Generate resources and revenues for the city’s development plans, program objectives, and priorities 
• Enact ordinances that grant franchises and authorize the issuance of permits or licenses
• Regulate activities in relation to the use of land, buildings, and structures
• Approve ordinances for the delivery of basic services and facilities 

Source: Local Government Code of 1991

– Research by Vernise Tantuco/Rappler.com

Read the other articles in this series:

• Powers and Duties: President, Vice President of the Philippines
• Powers and Duties: Senator in the Philippines
• Powers and Duties: District Representative, Party List Representative in the Philippines
• Powers and Duties: Provincial Governor, Vice Governor, Board Member in the Philippines
• Powers and Duties: Municipal Mayor, Vice Mayor, Councilor in the Philippines