The City and Municipal Officials
Established under the Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act 7160).
Mayor
Chief ExecutiveHeads the city or municipality, enforces national and local laws, oversees local departments and personnel, and approves or vetoes ordinances passed by the council.
Vice Mayor
Presiding Officer of the CouncilPresides over the Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) or Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council), votes only to break a tie, and succeeds the mayor if that office becomes vacant.
Sangguniang Panlungsod / Bayan
Legislative Body (City or Municipal Council)The local legislature: elected councilors, plus ex officio members representing the local Liga ng mga Barangay, the Sangguniang Kabataan federation, and, where applicable, the local sectoral representative.
City and Municipality Classifications
Not every city has the same relationship to its surrounding province. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of Philippine local government.
Highly Urbanized City (HUC)
Independent of provincial government entirely. Residents do not vote in provincial elections, and the city's local officials answer only to national oversight, not a governor. Requires a minimum population and income threshold set by law.
Independent Component City (ICC)
Also independent of the province by virtue of its charter, though it may still be geographically located within a province's boundaries. A smaller category than HUCs.
Component City
Remains under the general supervision of the province it sits within. Its residents vote in both city and provincial elections, and its ordinances are subject to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan's power of review.
Municipality
The most common local government unit by count. Always falls under a province, with its own Sangguniang Bayan and mayor, but generally smaller in population, income, and administrative capacity than a city.
See the Provincial Government guide for how the province's Sangguniang Panlalawigan relates to component cities and municipalities.
Qualifications to Run for Local Office
- • Filipino citizen
- • Registered voter in the city or municipality
- • Resident there for at least 1 year immediately before the election
- • Able to read and write Filipino or any other local language or dialect
- • At least 23 years old for mayor and vice mayor of a city; at least 21 for a municipality
The lower 21-year minimum age for municipal mayor and vice mayor, versus 23 for cities, is a distinction often missed even in general civics references.
Powers of the Mayor
The most directly visible office in most residents' daily interaction with government.
Executive Enforcement
Enforces all laws and ordinances applicable within the city or municipality, and ensures delivery of basic services like health, social welfare, and public safety.
Veto Power
Can veto an ordinance or resolution passed by the council, in whole or in part, subject to a two-thirds override vote by the council.
Business Permit Authority
Issues, suspends, or revokes business permits and licenses within the local government's jurisdiction, one of the most visible day-to-day powers of the office for residents and entrepreneurs.
Public Order Authority
Has operational supervision over the local police force through the Philippine National Police's local command structure, and may call on national law enforcement in emergencies.
Powers of the City or Municipal Council
The local legislature, presided over by the vice mayor.
Enacting Local Ordinances
Passes ordinances and resolutions governing the city or municipality, including local taxation measures within limits set by the Local Government Code.
Approving the Local Budget
Reviews and approves the annual budget proposed by the mayor before implementation.
Zoning & Land Use
Enacts the local comprehensive land use plan and zoning ordinances, shaping how land within the jurisdiction may be developed or used.
Confirming Mayoral Appointments
Certain mayoral appointments to department head positions require council concurrence before taking effect.
How Cities and Municipalities Are Funded
A mix of local revenue and a share of national tax collections, similar in structure to provincial funding.
Cities and municipalities collect real property tax, business taxes, and local fees directly, plus receive a share of the National Tax Allotment. Because highly urbanized and independent component cities operate outside provincial oversight, they typically retain a larger share of locally generated revenue than component cities do, since they don't route certain tax categories through the province.
This is also why some highly urbanized cities run larger, more independently financed budgets than entire provinces, city income classification, not just population, drives a significant share of a local government's operating capacity.
People Also Ask About City and Municipal Government
What is the difference between a highly urbanized city and a component city?
A highly urbanized city is independent of provincial government, its residents don't vote in provincial elections. A component city remains under a province's general supervision, and its residents vote in both city and provincial elections.
What is the difference between a city council and a municipal council?
Functionally the same body under different names: Sangguniang Panlungsod for cities, Sangguniang Bayan for municipalities, both serving as the local legislature under the mayor and vice mayor.
What is the minimum age to run for mayor?
23 years old for a city mayor, 21 years old for a municipal mayor, a distinction based on the classification of the local government unit.
Who issues business permits in the Philippines?
The city or municipal mayor's office, typically through a Business Permits and Licensing Office, usually requiring a barangay clearance first.
Last updated: September 15, 2026. Sources: Republic Act 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991), Department of the Interior and Local Government, Official Gazette of the Philippines. About azifind.com →