AN ACT CONVERTING THE MUNICIPALITY OF CANDON

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Republic Act No. 9018 (Charter of the City of Candon)

General Provisions
- Converts the Municipality of Candon into the City of Candon, a component city within the territorial jurisdiction of the Province of Ilocos Sur (Section 2).
- Defines the corporate powers of the City, including perpetual succession, ability to sue and be sued, use of a corporate seal, acquire and dispose of property, enter into contracts, and exercise powers granted by the charter (Section 3).
- Grants general powers to the City, such as levying taxes, opening and closing roads, acquiring property, contracting loans, and exercising powers granted to corporations (Section 4).
- Holds the City and its officials liable for damages (Section 5).
- Defines the jurisdiction of the City for police purposes and over water supply areas (Section 6).

City Officials
- Lists the officials of the City, including the mayor, vice mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, department heads, and other positions (Section 7).
- Outlines the qualifications, powers, and duties of the following officials:
• The City Mayor (Sections 8, 21-24)
• The City Vice Mayor (Section 9)
• The Sangguniang Panlungsod (Sections 10-20)
• The Secretary of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (Section 25)
• The City Treasurer (Section 26)
• The Assistant City Treasurer (Section 27)
• The City Assessor (Section 28)
• The Assistant City Assessor (Section 29)
• The City Accountant (Section 30)
• The City Budget Officer (Section 31)
• The City Planning and Development Coordinator (Section 32)
• The City Engineer (Section 33)
• The City Health Officer (Section 34)
• The City Civil Registrar (Section 35)
• The City Administrator (Section 36)
• The City Legal Officer (Section 37)
• The City Social Welfare and Development Officer (Section 38)
• The City Veterinarian (Section 39)
• The City General Services Officer (Section 40)
• The City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (Section 41)
• The City Architect (Section 42)
• The City Information Officer (Section 43)
• The City Cooperatives Officer (Section 44)
• The City Population Officer (Section 45)
• The City Agriculturist (Section 46)

City Services
- Establishes a city fire station service with adequate personnel, facilities, and equipment, headed by a city fire marshal (Section 47).
- Establishes a city jail service with a secured and sanitary jail, headed by a city jail warden (Section 48).
- Establishes a city school division under the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, headed by a division superintendent (Section 49).
- Establishes a city prosecution service under the Department of Justice, headed by a city prosecutor and assistant prosecutors (Section 50).

Transitory and Final Provisions
- Allows existing municipal ordinances to remain in force until amended by the sangguniang panlungsod (Section 51).
- Requires a plebiscite to ratify the creation of the City, conducted and supervised by the Commission on Elections within 60 days of the Act's approval (Section 52).
- Allows current elective officials of the Municipality of Candon to continue exercising their powers and functions until a new election, and automatically absorbs appointive officials and employees into the City government (Section 53).
- Provides for the succession of the City to all assets, properties, liabilities, and obligations of the Municipality of Candon (Section 54).
- Allows qualified voters of the City to vote and run for provincial elective positions in Ilocos Sur (Section 55).
- Maintains the jurisdiction of the Province of Ilocos Sur over the City, unless otherwise provided by law (Section 56).
- Suspends any increase in local tax rates for 5 years after the City's acquisition of corporate existence (Section 57).
- Maintains the City as part of the Second Congressional District of Ilocos Sur until otherwise provided by law (Section 58).
- Applies the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991 and other applicable laws to the City, unless inconsistent with the charter (Section 59).
- Includes a separability clause (Section 60), a reservation for boundary disputes (Section 61), and a repealing clause for inconsistent laws (Section 62).
- Sets the effectivity of the Act upon publication in at least two newspapers of general and local circulation (Section 63).