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Government
Structure |
The City Government of Davao serves as the local
government authority for Davao City guided by
the principles, mandates, laws, rules and
regulations stated under the 1987 Philippine
Constitution. Under the Local Government Code of
1991, it enjoys certain autonomy in running the
affairs of the City.
Executive Department
The highest local authority in the City’s
executive department is the City Mayor. The
mayor is chosen through a local election. He
serves a term that covers three-years in office.
A mayoralty election is being held every three
years. Under the local government code, a
qualified individual can run for the office and
be elected for the same position for three
consecutive terms (or 9 straight years in
office). After which, he is not allowed to run
for a fourth consecutive term in the same
office. The person will have the option of
seeking for a lower or higher elective position
or he/she may have to wait for three years
before seeking the same post.
Under the executive department, the City Mayor
of Davao has the prerogative and authority to
select and appoint deputy mayors for the City’s
11 administrative districts. He also appoints a
City Administrator to handle administrative
functions for the executive department’s regular
functions as well as special projects and
programs of the Mayor.
The Executive Department or the Office of the
City Mayor has 18 regular departments under it.
At present, there are about 4,300 regular
employees of the City Government of Davao. The
need for additional manpower for short to medium
term programs and projects is being addressed
through the hiring of services under contract
(or those classified as job orders which may be
renewed every three months whenever needed or
terminated at cause any time).
Legislative Branch
The City of Davao is divided into three
congressional districts. The Central or
Poblacion District is the 1st Congressional
District. Areas going north and northeast (from
the central such as Buhangin, Agdao and Sasa up)
are clustered together in the 2nd Congressional
District while areas going south, southwest, and
northwest (Tugbok, Calinan, and Toril) are
clustered in the 3rd congressional district.
Officials to be elected (together with the Mayor
and Vice-Mayor) are 3 Congressional
representatives (1 per district) and 24 City
Councilors (8 per district).
The Vice-Mayor serves as the presiding officer
of the City’s legislative department, the City
Council of Davao. It is composed of the
vice-mayor, 24 elected councilors, 2 sector
representatives (the president of the League of
Barangay Captains and the federation president
of the Youth Council), and the City Council
Secretary. This body is responsible for city
ordinances and resolutions.
At present, there are a number of landmark
legislations passed by the City Council. These
are the Davao City Investment Incentives Code of
1994 (specifically passed to attract
investments), the Children’s Welfare Code of
1995, and the Women’s Code of 1996, both
empowering the women and children and shielding
them from any forms of abuses.
On the other hand, the 3 congress
representatives will serve in the Lower House or
the House of Congress to participate in
promulgating laws and codes that are national in
scope. |
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