Internal Rules of Procedure

SECTION 1. – COMPOSITION. The Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Pagadian shall be composed of the City Vice Mayor as Presiding Officer; the ten (10) regular Sangguniang Panlungsod Members; with the President of the City Chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay, and the President of the Panlungsod na Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan, as Ex-officio members.

SECTION 2. – THE PRESIDING OFFICER. The Vice Mayor shall be the Presiding Officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and, as such, shall have the following powers and duties:

To preside over the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod;

To preserve order and decorum during the sessions and to exact from all present due respect and proper deportment, prevent disturbance and disorder, and to order the Session Hall cleared of any or all persons behaving improperly;

To decide on all questions of order, subject to appeal by any Member of the Body;

To sign all ordinances, resolutions, orders, proceedings, and warrants issued by order of the Sangguniang Panlungsod;

To declare the session adjourned to some other time or place in case of serious disorder or great emergency;

Compel the immediate attendance of any member who is absent without justifiable cause by issuing to the Chief of Police of the City an order for his/her arrest and production for his/her attendance at the session under such penalties as prescribed in Rule XVII of this Ordinance.

To perform such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by law or by resolution or ordinance of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The Presiding Officer shall assist in expediting the business of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and shall, for this purpose, be permitted to make brief informative remarks in any manner that will not tend to influence the decision of the Body without expressing himself for or against any question.

As Presiding Officer, the Vice-mayor shall vote only to break a tie.

The Presiding Officer may author ordinances and/or resolutions. Provided, however, that he relinquishes the Chair during the deliberation on the matter.

SECTION 3. – CHAIRPERSON PROTEMPORE. In the absence of the Vice-Mayor, or when the Vice Mayor is acting as Mayor, the Chairperson Pro-tempore shall be the temporary Presiding Officer of the Sanggunian. He shall possess all the powers and performs all the duties of the Presiding Officer. The Chairperson Pro-Tempore shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Sanggunian.

Election for the position of Chairperson Pro-Tempore shall be held immediately upon approval of these rules and thereafter on the first session of January of each year. Before any election is held, nomination shall be in order. Every member shall have the right to nominate any co-member for the position. The Chairperson Pro-Tempore shall hold office for the entire 3–Year term (3 years) unless sooner removed by a majority vote of all the members of the Sanggunian. The Chairperson Pro-Tempore shall be elected by secret balloting or through raising of hand.

SECTION 4. – TEMPORARY PRESIDING OFFICER. In the event of the inability of both the regular Presiding Officer and the Chairperson Pro-Tempore to preside any session, the members present and constituting a quorum shall elect from among themselves a temporary presiding officer. The temporary presiding officer shall certify within ten (10) days from the passage of ordinances enacted and resolutions adopted by the Sanggunian in the session over which s/he temporarily presided.

SECTION 5. – THE FLOOR LEADER AND ASSISTANT FLOOR LEADER. The body shall likewise elect a Floor Leader and an Assistant Floor Leader from among the members of the Sanggunian for the smooth, orderly and efficient deliberations. The Election shall be by secret balloting or through raising of hand.

SECTION 6. – THE FLOOR LEADER shall have the following duties:

He/She shall receive and prepare a list of all proposed matters, including committee reports to be submitted to the Members for deliberation, and to include all such matters in the agenda, as a matter of course; Provided that all matters shall have been submitted and received by the Office of the Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod not later than 2 pm on the last working day prior to the SP regular session for the week.

He/She shall review the minutes of the previous SP sessions before the same are forwarded to the Secretary for presentation and approval during the next scheduled SP session; to include all resolutions and ordinances adopted for review before the same shall be considered for signature by the signatories;

He/She shall register and schedule request of members for privilege speeches;

He/She shall present the items in the agenda to the Body for deliberation;

SECTION 7. – THE ASSISTANT FLOOR LEADER shall act in place and assume the duties of the Floor Leader in the absence of the former or when the Floor Leader shall voluntarily relinquish his post in order to propose a resolution or ordinance.

Upon a notification to the Secretariat by the Floor Leader, and in the absence of both the Floor Leader and the Assistance Floor Leader, the City Vice Mayor or the Presiding Officer (Pro Tempore), as the case maybe, shall be responsible in receiving and preparing the list of all proposed matters, including committee reports to be submitted to the Members for deliberation, and to include all such matters in the agenda, as a matter of course.

SECTION 8. – SECRETARY TO THE SANGGUNIAN. There shall be a Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, duly appointed in accordance with law, who shall keep his/her office in the building where the Sangguniang Panlungsod meets or at some other convenient place as the Sangguniang Panlungsod may direct. The duties of such secretary, in addition to those prescribed by law, shall be as follows:

To brief/orient all the Council SP Members prior to the maiden session of the Incoming Council, i.e., with reference to SP office procedures and processes in coordination with concerned Executive Departments relative to documentary requirements for projects/programs and other fund releases;

To prepare the agenda for the SP session;

To call the roll of Members, read the calendar of business and the minutes of the preceding session, and personally or through a reader designated by the Presiding Officer, to read proposed ordinances and resolutions, messages, communications, memorials, petitions, and other documents which he should report to the body or the readings of which, is required by the Sangguniang Panlungsod or ordered by the Presiding Officer;

To record and number all ordinances and resolutions passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod with the dates of their passage;

To transmit to the SP Steering Committee all “approved” resolutions and ordinances for correction prior to transmittal to concerned agencies and the minutes of every Sangguniang Panlungsod Session for proper review prior to reproduction and subsequent presentation to the body.

To transmit to the proper committees all matters referred to them by the Sangguniang Panlungsod or the Presiding Officer;

To notify the committee members of their appointments and creation of their respective committees;

To send out appropriate notices of all special sessions and public hearings either by the Sangguniang Panlungsod or any of the Standing Committees;

To attend the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and to keep a record of its proceedings;

To furnish each member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod with a copy of every approved ordinance, resolution and other official acts of the Sangguniang Panlungsod which they are entitled to receive;

To keep in proper file all records and documents of the Sangguniang Panlungsod for which provisions are not otherwise made;

To perform such other duties as the Sangguniang Panlungsod or its Presiding Officer may direct.

SECTION 9. – SERGEANT-AT-ARMS. There shall be a Sergeant-at-Arms who shall be designated by the Presiding Officer from among the personnel in the Office of the Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod whose functions and duties are as follows:

To attend the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the public hearings when held in the Office of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

To maintain order under the direction of the Presiding Officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod or its committees, and, in the discharge of such duty, exercise supervision and control over all security officers of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and members of the sanggunian, as well as law enforcement agents assisting the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

To execute all orders of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and its committees and serve all processes issued under their authority.

To remind all Sanggunian Members to turn their respective mobile phones and handheld radios to “silent mode” while in session and check that similar equipment of each and every person in the gallery are likewise placed in the same state while in the session hall.

To ensure that unauthorized persons are not permitted or allowed to enter or stay in the space reserved for the exclusive use of the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and of its officers and employees on duty during any session or public hearing when held in the Office of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

To be responsible for the behavior of employees under his immediate supervision and the faithful performance of their duties and functions. He may impose upon them corrective or disciplinary measures for just cause, including a recommendation to the Presiding Officer, through the Secretary, for his/her dismissal.

To strictly enforce all regulations relating to privileges and the admission to the session hall or its corridors.

To be the custodian of the “mace”.

To recommend to the Presiding Officer, through the Secretary, approval of the uniform to be worn by the personnel assigned to serve under him in the session hall.

Clear the immediate vicinity/corridor adjacent to the Session Hall from persons without business throughout the duration of the session.

To see to it that all firearms are duly deposited with the Sergeant- at- Arms, otherwise, entry of the same must not be allowed.

To perform such other functions as may be directed by the Presiding Officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

SECTION 10. – THE ACTING SECRETARY AND ACTING SERGEANT-AT-ARMS. In the temporary absence or incapacity of the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary for Legislation shall act as such with all the powers and duties inherent in said office, and in the case of the Sergeant-at-Arms, the person designated by the Presiding Officer to take his place shall temporarily serve as such officer.

SECTION 11. – THE MACE. The Mace is the symbol of authority of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, which shall be displayed at the Presiding Officer’s platform when the Sangguniang Panlungsod is in session. The Mace shall serve as the warrant for the Sergeant-at-Arms in enforcing order in the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

SECTION 12. – LIAISON OFFICER to the CITY MAYOR’S OFFICE. The City Vice Mayor shall designate a personnel/staff from the Office of the City Vice Mayor who shall act as Liaison Officer to the Office of the City Mayor and shall, from time to time, collaborate and extract information from the City Mayor’s Office relative to the Local Chief Executive’s action on legislative measures adopted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod and provide feedback thereof.

SECTION 13. – COMMITTEES. The Sangguniang Panlungsod shall create as many regular or standing committees, as its particular needs may require.

For the effective operation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in its legislative functions, the following committees are hereby created with the duties and general jurisdiction specified hereunder, to wit:

1.Agriculture and Fishery – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to agriculture and fishery resources, farmers and fishermen cooperatives & organizations, and the overall improvement of the plight of farmers and fishermen in Pagadian City,

2.Barangay Affairs. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to the maintenance and operation of the barangay governments and their activities, especially on planning and development of barangays.

3.Commerce, Trade & Industry, Economic Enterprise and Cooperatives. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to the promotion, development and regulation of a dynamic business climate in the city to include business establishments best practices, such as: quality control, control and stabilization of the prices of commodities; consumer protection; handicraft and cottage industries; marketing of commodities and all other activities related to domestic and foreign trade and private corporations, and such measures relating to the establishment, maintenance and operation of all income-generating entities of the City Government such as the public markets, fish port, abattoirs, bus terminals and other similar entities; and including all matters relating to the implementation of the Consumer’s Act and the Cooperative Code of the Philippines; urban and rural-based cooperatives, including but not limited to farm credit and farm security, cooperative movement and banking, marketing and consumers’ organizations.

4.(Ecology.) Environmental Protection, Ecological Preservation and Sanitation. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters relating to the protection of the environment and preservation/conservation and protection of all ecosystems, to include renewal of resources in damaged ecosystems; wise and optimum utilization of all natural resources; abatement of pollution, ecological waste management and aesthetics, specifically beautification/ landscaping of the city; to include carbon banking and carbon credit trading, if found beneficial, and the cleaning of canals and esteros.

5.Education, Science, Technology and Accreditation of NGOs and POs.– It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to: (a) education, schools and colleges; TESDA training programs; scholarship grants, subsidies and incentives to deserving students; indigenous learning systems and adult education; (b) the inclusion of scientific and technological research, development and advancement of science and technology; and (c) the integrity, validity, soundness, capability and stability of the organization and its capacity to help/assist in the sustainability of government development programs.

6.Disaster or Calamity Management. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to any disaster or calamities, either natural or man-made, to include matters relating to the preparation, response, prevention and effective management before, during and after any calamity/disaster occurs.

7.Finance and Appropriations. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to funds for the expenditure of the City Government and for the payment of public indebtedness, claims against the city government, appropriations of funds, adjustments of funds, review of barangay budget, and, in general, all matters relating to public expenditures.

8.Games, Amusements and Sports. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to games and amusement, such as cinema theaters, video exhibitions, nightclubs, disco bars, lottery, horse fight, boxing, basketball, cockpits, and other forms and places of recreation, games, amusement and sports, as well as matters relating to amateur sports development.

9.Good Government, Ethics and Civil Service. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to the efficient, honest and competent discharge of duties of all government employees in the city to include, but not limited to, cases involving graft and corruption, irregular or anomalous transactions, other violations or infractions of lawful regulations committed by any official or employee of the City Government, barangay officials of Pagadian City; all matters concerning conduct, responsibilities, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity and reputation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and its members; and all matters relating to Civil Service and the status of officers and employees of the City Government including their appointment, discipline, responsibilities, privileges, benefits and incentives, all human resource development programs pertaining to the City Government and all other matters relating to the bureaucracy to include moral recovery programs.

10.Health and Social Services. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters relating to: (a) public health in general, medical, hospital, clinics, memorials, cemetery facilities and services and quarantine services; measures relating to demography, sanitation, prevention and cure of diseases including, but not limited to, the maintenance, operation or expansion of the City Health Department, City Hospital and all Health Centers throughout the City; and (b) all matters and measures having to do with Social Welfare Administration particularly relating to social problems affecting the stability and adjustment of the individual and of the community to the environment; the establishment and operation of day care centers, reformation and rehabilitation centers including the provision of food, clothing, shelter and educational program for the city’s underprivileged; as well as the provision of aid and assistance to individual in crises situations and victims of calamities and disasters.

11.(Human Rights and Urban/Rural Community.) Human Rights and Subanen/Muslim Community Affairs. – (It shall study and investigate all matters and measures relating to the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution on human rights and social justice, to include but not limited to harnessing national programs on urban and rural community development and welfare, as well as, initiate establishment of data base re: urban/rural community status/progression.) It shall study and investigate all matters and measures relating to the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution on human rights and social justice to include, but not limited to, the enhancement or protection of human rights, assistance to victims and their families of human rights violation. This also include all matters relating to the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of the Subanen and Muslim Communities pursuant to Republic Act 8371, otherwise known as “The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997” and Republic Act No. 9997, otherwise known as the “National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Act of 2009.”

12.Infrastructure, Public Bidding and Community Development. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures concerning planning, construction, maintenance, improvement and repair of public buildings, roads/streets/alleys, bridges, canals/sewage and sewerage systems, ports, airport, harbors, parks, flood control and protection; irrigation and water systems, post-harvest facilities, market/trading centers, public bidding and other activities of similar importance which will lead to community development.

13.(Labor and Industrial Relations.) Labor & Industrial Relations and Human Resources. – (It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures involving the rights and duties of workingmen/laborers in their relations among themselves, their employers and with the public, and/or measures intended to uplift or maintain the dignity of labor; labor employment and human resource development; promotion of employee-employer cooperation; labor education; organization of the labor market including recruitment, training and placement of workers and export of human resources; and promotion and development of employment-intensive technology.) It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to labor, private employment, livelihood, manpower and human resources development, to include the rights and duties of workingmen/laborers in their relations among themselves, their employers and with the public, and/or measures intended to uplift or maintain the dignity of labor; labor employment and human resource development; promotion of employee-employer cooperation; labor education; organization of the labor market including recruitment, training and placement of workers and export of human resources; and promotion and development of employment-intensive technology.

14.Laws, Rules and Policy Formulation. – It shall facilitate the preparation of the rules of the body, study, device, and report better methods for the smooth conduct of the body’s proceedings. Furthermore, the committee shall study, investigate and report on the legal aspect of all matters and measures, including proposed motions, resolutions, ordinances, or the revision or amendment of any existing ordinance and all legislations, recommended for enactment.

15.Markets and Slaughterhouse/Dressing Plants. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to the operation, regulation and the maintenance of markets, slaughterhouses/dressing plants, both private and public, other market projects and allied matters, including the slaughtering and marketing of animals for public consumption. Furthermore, the committee shall study matters relating to the protection, regulation and supervision of market vendors or stallholders.

16.Oversight Committee. It shall monitor/report on the Executive implementation of all adopted legislative measures whether ordinance or resolution, to include enforcement on the terms and conditions, as may be stipulated in memoranda or contracts. It shall also gather information and oversee the operations and activities of all the city department to ensure proper and more efficient use of city resources.

17.(Planning and Landed Estates.) Planning and Landed Estates, Housing and Urban/Rural Community Development. – It shall study, investigate and monitor/report on all matters and measures pertaining to City Development Planning, Land Use, zoning, subdivision and layout of roads, streets, alleys, canals, electric/telephone and cable lines for promotion of human and community development. It shall also study, investigate and report on all matters relating to housing and all other forms of human shelter or habitation, urban/rural community development, and the upliftment of the urban/rural poor, and the utilization of patrimonial properties.

18.(Police, Fire and Public Safety.) Police, Fire, Public Safety and Illegal Drug Prevention. – It shall study, investigate and monitor/report on all matters and measures dealing on police matters, including but not limited to measures concerning the prevention of destruction or injury to limb, life and property, and all other matters relating to the peace and order of the City as well as propose ordinances or resolutions providing logistical support for fire prevention including the administration of City Jails and Reformatory Centers. Also, all matters pertaining to the prevention and control of Illegal Drugs.

19.(Public Utilities, Transportation, Communications and Franchising. – It shall study, investigate and monitor/report on matters relating to the establishment, operation and maintenance of gas fuel and gas stations, electric power and utilities, ice plants and cold storage, and water utilities; transportation, whether land, sea, river or air including railroads, inter-island navigation and lighthouses, communications to include but not limited to the telephone, mass communication and broadcast services, advertising, development and promotion of information technology; motion picture and television and the grant or amendment of legislative franchises.)

19.Public Utilities and Communication/Information Technology. – It shall study, investigate and monitor/report on matters relating to the establishment, operation and maintenance of gas fuel and gas stations, electric power and utilities, ice plants and cold storage, and water utilities; communications pertaining to public or government information, all means of mass communications to include, but not limited to, telephone, mass communication and broadcast services, movies and television, video and advertising, cable and internet content, rights, privileges and responsibilities of those engaged in mass communication and information technology.

20.Transportation, Road Traffic Management and Franchising. – It shall study, investigate and monitor/report on matters relating to transportation, whether land, sea, river or air including railroads, inter-island navigation and lighthouses; it shall include the promulgation and enforcement of traffic rules and regulations; and the grant or amendment of legislative franchises.

21.Tourism, Sisterhood Program, Arts and Culture. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures involving the enhancement, promotion and development of tourism and sisterhood programs, the preservation, enrichment and evolution of Filipino arts and culture, and to include the establishment and maintenance of museums, shrines, monuments, historical sites and edifices, other tourism destinations in the city, as well as development and preservation of the city’s artistic and cultural heritage.

22.Ways and Means. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to revenues generally, taxes and fees, tariffs, loans and other sources and forms of revenue. It may likewise initiate the studies and researches on any resource generation plan/activities which shall redound to the welfare of the people of the City of Pagadian;

23.(Women and Family Welfare.) Women and Family Welfare and Children’s Affairs. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures relating to women’s rights and family relations, gender and development, benefits, privileges and responsibilities; It shall also include all matters directly and principally relating to population growth and family planning, census and statistics, as well as matters involving the rights, protection, development, welfare and affairs of children including child care and promotion/actualization of child-friendly movements/programs.

24.(Youth Welfare, Juvenile Delinquency and Drug Abuse Prevention.) Youth Welfare and Juvenile Delinquency. – It shall study, investigate and report on all matters and measures affecting youth welfare development to include moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of the youth; prevention of juvenile delinquency; and measures designed to curb vandalism, vagrancy and drug addiction committed specifically by those considered as youth.

SECTION 14. – COMMITTEE COMPOSITION. A committee shall be composed of a Chairperson—who shall all be elected by the majority vote of the body; a Vice-Chairperson and at least one (1) member who shall be handpicked by the Chairperson.

The Presiding Officer shall automatically sit as Co-Chairman of all the Committees while the Chairman Pro-Tempore will be an ex-officio member thereof. They shall have the obligation to attend committee meetings and participate in the discussions thereof but without the right to vote.

SECTION 15. – LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIP AND VICE–CHAIRMANSHIP. Any SP Member shall only be nominated and elected as Chairperson for a total of three (3) Committees, while any member may be appointed/selected as Vice-Chairperson for a total of five (5) Committees.

SECTION 16. – SPECIAL COMMITTEES. The Sangguniang Panlungsod may likewise create special committees it may deem necessary in the exigency of its affairs.

SECTION 17. – DUTIES OF COMMITTEES. Permanent and Special Committees may hold meetings and/or public hearings to deliberate and report on matters referred to them or initiated by them whenever necessary.

For the prompt disposal of the committee’s work, the presence of the members is preferred but the chair is given authority to proceed with the hearing/consultation despite the absence of members. The absence of a member will not excuse him/her from knowing the facts, as well as the committee action/decision. The members, therefore, will have to sign the report to expedite reporting back to the body. The signature of at least the majority of its members is needed for the report to be accepted by the Steering Committee and Floor Leader. However, the final report to be put on file at the Secretary’s office shall be signed by all the committee members.

The Committee may, however, act without conducting a formal meeting on any matter referred to it which does not necessitate the ascertainment of facts or of law. Provided that the committee report shall bear the signature of the majority of the members thereof.

The Committee Report must be submitted one day prior to the SP session, where the committee desires to present the same to the body.

In aid of legislation, the Committees may likewise invite private persons to attend committee meetings to shed light on the issue at hand.

The Committee may invite any official or personnel of the City Government or those of the National Government based in the Regional Offices to appear before it in any of the committee meetings to shed light on matters pertinent to his/her office which may be necessary in aid of legislation. The said official and personnel should be informed of the subject matter before his/her appearance.

The different standing committees shall report back to the Sanggunian all matters referred to them for comment and recommendation within a period of sixty (60) days. In case of failure of a committee concerned to render such report, a majority of all members of the Sanggunian, may, by written or oral petition, discharge the committee, after which, the matter concerned shall be resubmitted to the whole body for disposition. In case a majority of the members of the particular committee to which it was previously referred to, dissented and/or objected to the matter, said matter shall be considered as being laid on the table; Provided, however, that by a written petition of the majority of all the members of the Sanggunian, the matter which was laid on the table, shall be resubmitted to the Sanggunian for final disposition.

When a measure is referred to two or more committees, the corresponding committees may conduct separate hearings but submit a joint committee report.

f)The committees must at all times defend the interest of the City Government especially in terms of expenditures and conservation of resources.

SECTION 1. – COMPOSITION OF THE VICE MAYOR’S OFFICE STAFF AND THE MEMBERS OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD PERSONAL STAFF. To ensure an effective and efficient delivery of public service and, to complement the immense duties and responsibilities attached to the office, the City Vice Mayor’s Office and the individual offices of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Members shall be entitled to adequate personal staff as provided/reflected in the Plantilla of Personnel of the City Government of Pagadian.

SECTION 2. TENURE OF OFFICE OF PERSONAL STAFF. The tenure of office of the foregoing personal staff of the Vice Mayor and the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be co-terminus with that of the Vice Mayor or Member of the Sanggunian as the case may be. They shall receive such compensation and the benefits due to other regular local government employees in accordance with applicable laws.

SECTION 1. SESSION, DEFINED. A session is a meeting of the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in its designated session hall or in a designated place on a certain date and time which is duly agreed upon by the members prior to its schedule.

Unless impractical, the session of the Sanggunian Panlungsod shall be open to the public. No non-members shall be permitted to address it nor discuss with any member thereof during said session. However, this provision may be suspended to enable the body to hear any guest or to question the latter for enlightenment of the body on any matter of public interest.

No session shall be suspended or adjourned except when so directed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod. But the Presiding Officer, may, in his discretion, declare a recess in short intervals or suspend or adjourn the session in case of emergency or when the session becomes unruly or uncontrollable.

SECTION 2. REGULAR SESSION. – The Sangguniang Panlungsod shall meet in a regular session at 9:00 o’clock in the morning of Wednesday of each week. Unless otherwise fixed, the regular session shall be held at the Fourth Floor, City Commercial Center (C3), Barangay Santiago, Pagadian City.”

A regular session can be postponed or rescheduled upon formal request of any member of the Sanggunian and with the recorded approval or concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the total membership of the body.

In case the regular session day falls on a public holiday, the next working day shall be the regular session day, unless the latter is also a public holiday, in which case, the regular session shall be held on the next following working day, by agreement of the members.

SECTION 3. SPECIAL SESSION. – When public interest so demands, special sessions may be called by the City Mayor or the Vice Mayor or a majority of the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Written notice to Sangguniang Panlungsod Members stating the date, the time and purpose of the session shall be served personally or left with a member of his household at his usual place of residence or at the office of the Sanggunian Member at least twenty-four (24) hours before the special session is held.

Unless otherwise agreed upon by two-third votes of the Members present there being a quorum, no other matter may be considered at a special session except those stated in the notice.

SECTION 4. ATTIRE. – All members shall wear the following attire:

For every first Wednesday of each month:

Gentlemen– Long–sleeved Barong Tagalog

Ladies–Filipiniana

For the succeeding regular and during special sessions:

Gentlemen–Barong Tagalog (long or short – sleeved), or Business Suit

Ladies–Filipiniana or Business Suit (corporate attire with sleeves)

Members not in proper dress code will be subjected to a penalty of one thousand

pesos only (P1000.00).

SECTION 1. REGISTRY DURING SESSIONS. The Sangguniang Panlungsod Members must register in the logbook during sessions. As may be applicable, markings like “O.B.”, “On Leave”, or “OIC” shall also be indicated. However, the “OIC” status is not to be charged as absent from the session; for purposes of office protocol, all SP Members who will be out on Official Time “O.T.” shall secure a written order from the City Vice Mayor.

SECTION 2. SP MEMBER AS OFFICER-IN-CHARGE (OIC). Where the “OIC” can temporarily be free from the Executive’s Function, he/she must attend the session;

SECTION 3. SP MEMBERS’ PRESENCE AT THE SESSION. All members must stay for the entire duration of the sessions. In emergency cases, however, a member or members, may be temporarily excused through verbal permission from the Presiding Officer: Provided, that quorum is not imperiled; and Provided, further where during the proceedings, quorum is questioned or their individual presence is urgently necessary, permittee(s) must return to the Session Hall voluntarily.

SECTION 4. ATTENDANCE OF SP MEMBER’S STAFF. All SP Members must designate one (1) office staff to attend during all sessions, who must stay during the entire duration of the session. They shall conscientiously take note of all important matters relative to committee concerns of their respective SP Members and/or SP agreements.

SECTION 1. BASIS FOR QUORUM DECLARATION.

a) Unless otherwise provided by law, a majority of all the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod who have been elected and qualified shall constitute a quorum on any session, regular or special, of the body.

b) The presence of Seven (7) members, to include the Acting Presiding Officer or the Vice Mayor as a component member, shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION 2. LACK OF QUORUM.

a) Whenever there is no quorum, the Presiding Officer may declare a recess until such time a quorum is constituted.

b) If there is still no quorum despite the enforcement of the immediate preceding subsection and subsection (f) of Section 2 of Rule I, no business shall be transacted, except the referral of all matters calendared for first reading excluding Proposed Resolutions and Proposed Ordinances from Council Members.

c) The Presiding Officer shall declare the session adjourned when quorum cannot be constituted at 9:30 A.M.

SECTION 1. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The order of business in the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be as follows:

a)Call to order

b)Invocation

c)Singing of the Philippine National Anthem

d)Recitation of the Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas

e)Singing of the Zamboanga del Sur March

f) Singing of the Pagadian City Hymn

g)Roll Call of the Members and Determination of Quorum

h)Reading and approval of the minutes of previous session.

i)Reading and referral to corresponding committees of proposed ordinances, resolutions, petitions, memorial, motions, and other communications.

j)Committee Reports

k)Unfinished Business

l)Business of the day

m)Other Matters

n)Adjournment

SECTION 2. AGENDA. – Matters that may be taken up in the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be limited only to those items listed in the agenda, the nature and substance of which must be described, except the following:

a)After the reading of the order of business, any Member desiring to deliver a privilege speech, may, after registration with the Floor Leader and with permission of the Chair first had, speak for not more than Fifteen (15) minutes: Provided, however, that if more than one Member registers for this purpose, all speakers shall be limited to a total of twenty (20) minutes; Provided, further, that no Member can register for more than three privilege concerns in each session and provided, finally, that privilege speeches and all its attendant proceedings shall strictly be in accordance with the provisions of Rule XV (Special Report) of this Ordinance.

b)With the consent of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, urgent matters may be submitted by the Floor Leader (upon the approval of the majority of members of the sanggunian). Urgent matters are such which involve public interest, the delay in the consideration of which shall prejudice essential activities of government, or may cause loss of life or damage to property.

c)Matters which require executive dispensation/action must first be recommended by the Local Chief Executive (LCE) for approval prior to inclusion in the agenda.

d)For purposes of agenda preparation, the deadline of submission of matters and concerns for inclusion in the calendar shall be eleven o’clock (11:00 a.m.) in the morning on the day immediately preceding the scheduled regular or special session under which the matters are to be tackled.

The agenda shall be distributed to all SP members by the Secretary not later than four o’clock (4:00 p.m.) in the afternoon on the day immediately preceding the scheduled regular session under which the matters are to be tackled. Matters which are voluminous need only have their nature and substance described and attached to the agenda.

SECTION 3. CALENDAR OF BUSINESS. The calendar of business shall contain

a brief description of each item of business to be taken during the session, indicating the sources and endorsement of the City Mayor in the case of communications; endorsements, petitions, memorials, and memoranda, the name of the author or authors; in the case of motions, resolutions, and ordinances the committee or committees to which they have been referred.

SECTION 4. COMMITTEE REPORTS.

a) Committee Reports shall be rendered to the Body as soon as the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Members thereof are ready to make their report; i.e., the report is written, duly signed by the majority of the members, if not all. Each SP Member must be given a copy thereof, before the report can be considered by the body for approval.

b) Several referrals to a particular committee must be presented only in one (1) committee report for ease of SP action and recording in the Office of the Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

c) The report, consisting of the subject matter, justification, remarks and recommendations of the Committee, shall be made by its Chairperson, or if he dissents to the majority opinion, by any committee Member concurring therein and duly designated for the purpose. If the recommendation is favorable, the Secretary shall calendar it for second reading in the case of an ordinance. Otherwise, it shall be considered as laid on the table.

d) In the case of ordinances with penal provisions, where a public hearing is required, the written and signed committee report must be accompanied with the attendance sheet and transcribed minutes of the public hearing. Otherwise, such committee report must not be accepted by the Floor Leader, and the Secretary for presentation to the body.

e) Committee reports must be submitted to the Office of the Secretary to the SP not later than 11 o’clock in the morning of the working day immediately preceding the session day, who shall inform the Floor Leader/Asst. Floor Leader for proper review and directive to the Secretary for appropriate presentation to the body.

SECTION 5. BUSINESS OF THE DAY. The business for the day shall consists of ordinances, resolutions, and other legislative matters set on the agenda for the consideration of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and each shall be taken up in the order in which it is set in the agenda.

SECTION 6. FINAL READING. Ordinances and other legislative matters scheduled for final reading shall be called in the order set forth in the calendar of business and shall be considered in the manner prescribed hereinafter.

SECTION 7. SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. On motion to suspend the rules, items of business may be taken away by their fixed order and considered forthwith by the Body.

SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS. Legislative actions of general and permanent character shall be enacted in the form of ordinances, while those which are ministerial or administrative in nature and of temporary character or matters relating to proprietary functions and private concern shall be acted upon by resolutions.

SECTION 2. DRAFT LEGISLATIVE MEASURES. Every ordinance and resolution presented for consideration shall be, respectively, denominated as a “Draft Ordinance” and “Draft Resolution”, and upon approval, each shall be called a “City Ordinance” or “City Resolution”, as the case may be.

SECTION 3. ENACTMENT/ADOPTION OF DRAFT ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

a) Proposed ordinances and resolutions shall be in writing and shall contain an assigned number, a title or caption and enacting or ordaining clause and the date for its proposed effectivity. In addition, every proposed ordinance shall be accompanied by a brief explanatory note containing the justification for its approval. It shall be signed by the author or authors and submitted to the Secretary of the Sangguniang Panlungsod not later than 11:00 o’clock in the morning of the day immediately preceding session for numbering and calendar of the same.

b) A resolution shall be enacted in the same manner prescribed for an ordinance, except that it need not go through a first, second and third readings for its final consideration unless decided otherwise by a majority of all the Sanggunian Members.

c) No ordinance shall be considered on second reading in any regular session unless it has been reported out by the proper committee to which it was referred to or certified as urgent by the City Mayor.

d) Any legislative matter duly certified by the City Mayor as urgent, whether or not it is included in the calendar of business, may be presented and considered by the Body at the same session without need of suspending the rules. However, where the liability is created, the same measure must be referred to the appropriate committee for proper consultation and study.

e) The Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall prepare copies of the proposed ordinance in the form it was passed on second reading, and shall distribute to each Sanggunian Member a copy thereof, except when a measure which is certified by the City Mayor as urgent may be submitted for final voting immediately after debate or amendment during the second reading.

f) No ordinance or resolution passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod in a regular or special session duly called for the purpose shall be valid unless approved by a majority of the Members present, there being a quorum. Any ordinance or resolution authorizing or directing the payment of money or creating liability shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of all the Sanggunian Members for its passage.

g) Upon the passage of all ordinances and resolutions directing the payment of money or creating liability, and at the request of any Member, of any resolution or motion, the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall record the ayes and nays. Each approved ordinance or resolution shall be stamped with the seal of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and recorded in the books for the purpose.

SECTION 4. THREE READINGS RULE. Before any ordinance may be finally enacted, it shall undergo three (3) readings, as follows:

a) First reading, which shall consist of the reading by the Secretary of the title of the proposed ordinance and the name of its author or authors, after which it shall be referred by the Body to the appropriate Committee or Committees without debate.

When the validity of an ordinance requires public hearing (those with penal provisions), the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall strictly follow the following procedure:

1)The concerned Committee or the Lead Committee, in the case of Joint Committees, which has scheduled the public hearing shall cause the sending of written notice of the ordinance, enclosing a copy thereof, to interested or affected parties, operating or doing business within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Pagadian. soon after the measure has been referred to the appropriate committee and

2)The notice shall specify the date and venue of the public hearing. The initial public hearing shall be held not later than five (5) days ten (10) days from the sending out of notice.

3)During the public hearing to be conducted by the proper Committee, all affected or interested parties shall be accorded an opportunity to appear and present or express their views, comments and recommendations, and such public hearing shall continue until all issues shall have been obtained, whether for or against the enactment of the proposed ordinance.

4)The respective staff/personnel of the concerned committee(s) shall prepare the minutes of such public hearing and shall attach to the minutes the position papers, memoranda and the like, submitted by those who participated. Exempted from this mandatory public hearing requirement is the tax ordinance levying a community tax and providing for the collection thereof as authorized under Article 6 of Republic Act No. 7160.

5)The committee(s) that held the public hearing shall submit a report of the same with the pertinent documentary support to the Body which may amend, modify, set aside or proceed with the draft ordinance.

b) Second reading, at which the proposed ordinance, after having been sponsored on the floor by the Committee Chairperson or by any Committee Member designated for the purpose, shall be read in full in the manner recommended by the Committee or committees, whereon the motion shall be subject, first, to debate, and thereto amendments and all proper parliamentary motion.

After the draft ordinance mandatorily shall have passed on second reading, the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall cause the same to be published for three (3) consecutive days/weeks in a daily/weekly newspaper of local circulation (whichever is applicable), and shall post the same simultaneously in at least four (4) conspicuous public places within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Pagadian.

c) Third reading, at which no debate or amendment on the provisions shall be allowed, the title of the proposed ordinance though shall be read after which any amendment to the title maybe raised and finally decided and the question upon its passage shall be immediately taken.

SECTION 5. ERRONEOUS REFERRAL. In case of an erroneous referral of a measure to a Committee, the same may be corrected at a subsequent session after the reading of the minutes containing the referral, by a majority vote of the Body on motion by any Member of the Body, or by any Member of the Committee to which it was erroneously referred.

SECTION 6. CONSOLIDATION or SUBSTITUTION of a PROPOSED ORDINANCE/RESOLUTION. In a proposed ordinance or resolution, resulting from consolidation or substitution made by a Committee, there shall be named as authors every Member who has signed as such any of the proposed ordinances or resolutions consolidated or substituted for, in the order of the names shown therein and according to the date of their filling.

SECTION 7. UNREPORTED DRAFT ORDINANCES AFTER REFERRAL. No ordinance shall be considered on second reading in any regular session that has not been reported out by the proper committee except those prepared and introduced by the committee having proper jurisdiction over the subjects thereof and those certified as urgent by the Mayor.

SECTION 8. TREATMENT OF DRAFT ORDINANCES SOON AFTER THE 2ND READING. The concerned Committee(s) shall prepare copies of the proposed ordinance in the form it was passed on second reading, and shall distribute to each Member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod a copy thereof at least three days before it is voted upon for final approval, except if the measure has been certified by the Mayor as urgent in which case it may be submitted for final voting immediately after the second reading.

SECTION 9. PRESENTATION of a MOTION for LEGISLATION. Motion may be presented orally or in writing and considered according to the rules prescribed for ordinances and resolutions, provided, however, that in the case of urgent motion where in the opinion of the Body, a referral to any Committee may be detrimental to the life, health and safety of the public, or loss of property and when public interest so demands, said motion, if approved, shall be written down by the Secretary in a resolution or ordinance form, as the case may be.

SECTION 10. APPROVAL BY THE CITY MAYOR of an ENACTED ORDINANCES. Ordinances passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be approved and signed by the City Mayor. That approval of City Mayor must be in writing and effected by him indorsing the word “Approved” on the ordinance followed by his signature. If the City Mayor neither approves nor disapproves an ordinance within ten (10) days after it has been submitted to him for appropriate action, shall likewise be valid without his approval or signature.

Within three (3) days after approval, the Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall forward to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for review, copies of approved ordinances and the resolutions approving the local development plans and public investment programs formulated by the local development councils.

SECTION 11. MATTERS CERTIFIED as URGENT by the CITY MAYOR. Any legislative matter duly certified by the City Mayor as urgent, whether or not it is included in the calendar of business, may, without need of suspending the rules, be presented and considered by the Body at the same session. An urgent matter is one which involves public interest, the delay of which shall prejudice essential government activities and basic social services.

SECTION 12. CITY MAYOR’S VETO on an ENACTED ORDINANCE or ANY of ITS PROVISION. If the City Mayor vetoes an ordinance or any part thereof, he shall signify his disapproval thereof in writing and the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall record the objections of the City Mayor at large in the minutes, and may thereafter proceed to reconsider the ordinance or the item or items vetoed. After reconsideration, the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall proceed to vote on the ordinance or the vetoed item or items thereof, and the votes of each Sangguniang Panlungsod Member shall be recorded in the minutes. If the ordinance of the vetoed item or items thereof is passed by the vote of two-thirds of all the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, such ordinance, or item or items vetoed, shall be valid even without the Mayor’s approval or signature.

SECTION 13. EFFECTIVITY of a LEGISLATIVE ACTION APPROVING the LOCAL DEVELOPMENT and PUBLIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM. Unless otherwise stated in the ordinance or resolution approving the Local Development Plan and Public Investment Program, the same shall take effect after ten (10) days from the date a copy thereof is posted in at least two (2) other conspicuous places at City Hall for a minimum period of three (3) consecutive weeks. Such ordinances shall also be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Pagadian. Unless otherwise provided therein, such ordinances shall take effect on the day following its publication or at the end of the period of its posting or whichever occurs later.

The Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall transmit copies of said ordinance to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for review and confirmation then to the Chief Executive Officer of the Official Gazette within seven (7) days following the approval of said ordinance for publication. The Official Gazette shall publish the ordinances with penal sanctions for archival and reference purpose.

SECTION 14. FILING of DRAFT and APPROVED ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS. Proposed and approved ordinances and resolutions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be kept in separate files and numbered consecutively throughout the calendar year.

All tax ordinances or revenue measures and all other ordinances and resolutions shall be numbered consecutively throughout the calendar year and continuously from year to year, using the last two (2) digits of the calendar year in which it is enacted followed by its denominated number.

For example, an ordinance shall be denominated and numbered as Ordinance No. 98-001, the next shall be Ordinance No. 98-002, then Ordinance No. 98-003 and so forth.

SECTION 1. FILING of the MINUTES of SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD SESSIONS. The Sangguniang Panlungsod shall keep the minutes of the proceedings which shall comprise a succinct and exact account of the business transacted and the actions taken thereon. The minutes must clearly show the following:

1)The nature of the session, whether regular or special, and if special, a copy of the call for such session.

2)Names of members present and absent;

3)Whether the minutes of the previous sessions were read and approved, citing corrections, if any;

4)The title of every resolution or ordinance;

5)If the resolution or ordinance was not approved unanimously, a brief statement of the minority opinion;

6)Nominal voting;

7)all main motions, except those withdrawn;

8)Points of order and appeals, whether sustained or lost;

9)Veto message of the City Mayor, in full;

10)The votes of each Sangguniang Panlungsod Member on the vetoed ordinance or vetoed item or items.

11)Time for adjournment.

SECTION 2. SIGNATURES ON THE MINUTES. The minutes shall be signed by the Secretary and authenticated by the Presiding Officer. It shall be entered in a good well-bound record book and the corresponding dates of approval or disapproval properly placed therein. The same shall also be signed by all SP members present during the session.

SECTION 3. PROCEEDINGS of the SESSION/JOURNAL. In addition to the minutes, the proceedings of the session shall be recorded stenographically and transcribed and filed as the SP JOURNAL. The minutes shall be prepared and signed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary, copies of which will be kept in the records of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

SECTION 1. PROTOCOL of SP Member’s REMARKS. When any Member desires to deliver any remarks to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, he shall rise and request the Chair, through the Floor Leader, to let him have the floor, which consent shall be necessary before he may proceed. When two or more members rise at the same time, the Floor Leader shall name the Member who is to speak first, and shall alternate the floor between those who wish to speak for and against a given question.

SECTION 2. PROPER DECORUM DURING a DEBATE. The Member who has obtained the floor shall address his remarks to the Chair, confine himself to the question under debate, avoiding personalities, and shall conduct himself with proper decorum.

SECTION 3. TIME LIMIT FOR a DEBATE. No Member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall occupy more than Twenty (20) minutes in debate on any question at the same session without leave of the body.

After three Members have spoken in favor and two Members against a question, or only one speech shall have been delivered and none against, a motion to close the debate shall be in order. If said motion is approved, the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall proceed to consider amendments to the question. Remarks on each amendment by any Member shall not exceed five (5) minutes.

SECTION 4. VOTES to CLOSE a DEBATE. The Sangguniang Panlungsod may, by a two-thirds vote of the members present, close debate on any question, upon motion for the previous question, and proceed to vote on the main question without debate.

SECTION 5. SPONSORSHIP SPEECH. The member reporting a measure from a committee or delivering the sponsorship speech of a proposed legislation may open and close the debate with the time permitted each Member by the Rules of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

SECTION 6. CALL to ORDER DUE to a SPEECH or BEHAVIOR. If any Member, by his speech or behavior, transgresses the Rules of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the Presiding Officer, on his own initiative or at the request of any Member, shall call him to order, and the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall, if appealed to, decide on the case without debate except for brief remarks by the appellant, explaining his appeal for not more than five (5) minutes. If the decision is in favor of the Member called to order, he may proceed, but not otherwise.

SECTION 7. OBSERVANCE of PROPER DECORUM DURING SESSIONS.

a) During sessions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the Members shall observe proper decorum. They shall remain in their seats during roll call or when a vote is being taken and no one shall pass between a Member who has the floor and the Chair.

b) While the Presiding Officer is addressing the Sangguniang Panlungsod, no Member shall walk out of or cross the Session Hall.

c) Any breach of proper decorum or discourtesy to the Presiding Officer shall constitute disorderly behavior and may be sanctioned by the majority vote of the Members present.

d) Any Member responsible in inviting or has caused the invitation of any person(s) to shed light on certain matters which the Sangguniang Panlungsod has taken cognizance of, or is responsible in the filing of resolution(s) which is/are included in the agenda, shall have priority of sponsoring whatever resolution(s) on such matter unless said Member waive his right to sponsor, in which case any Member may sponsor such resolution.

e) Any invited guest and/or visitor concerned during the deliberation of the Body in its session to give information on a particular matter should be accorded with utmost courtesy.

SECTION 1. DEROGATORY ACTS or UTTERANCES.

a) Acts or utterances which are derogatory to any member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod as a body shall be deemed to be unparliamentary.

b) No member under any circumstance during the consideration of any item in the agenda shall use offensive or improper language against another member of the body or the body itself.

c) When a member of a body, by word or deed, violates any rules, the Presiding Officer shall call him to order, and the member concerned shall immediately desist from continuing his unparliamentary words or deeds or relinquish the floor if he happens to have the floor.

d) When a member is called to order by the Presiding Officer for employing improper language during the debate or consideration of any item in the agenda, any member may move to strike out from the records the words or utterances objected to. This shall likewise apply to the unparliamentary language of the Presiding Officer.

e) When a non-member of the body is authorized to address the Sanggunian employs improper words derogatory to the body or its member or members in the course of his address or speech, the Presiding Officer or any member of the body shall call his attention thereto, and if necessary, deny him the floor or exclude him from the session.

SECTION 1. MANNER OF VOTING

a) Voting in the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be done by voice, raising of hand, rising, or by roll call, unless a different method is prescribed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod for a particular question. In taking the vote, the affirmative shall be taken first and then the negative.

b) The Presiding Officer shall put a question into a vote by saying: “As many are in favor of (stating the question), say “yes” and after the affirmative vote is expressed, “as many are opposed, say “no”. If the Chair doubts the vote or if a division is called, the Body shall divide. Those in the affirmative shall be asked to raise their hands or rise from their seats, and then those in the negative to do the same. In any case, the Presiding Officer shall state the decision.

SECTION 2. VOTES REQUIREMENT. To pass an ordinance or any proposition creating an indebtedness, the affirmative vote of a majority of all the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod is necessary. Other measures, except as otherwise specially provided, shall prevail upon the majority vote of the member present at any session duly called and held.

SECTION 3. BREAKING OF TIE VOTES. In case of a tie vote, the Presiding Officer shall vote to break a tie.

SECTION 4. RECORDING OF “YES” and “NO” VOTES. The yes and no votes shall be taken and entered in the Minutes upon the passage of all ordinances, upon all propositions creating any liability against the City, and upon any other proposition if requested by any Member, even after a division has been had.

SECTION 5. NOMINAL VOTING. When voting nominally, the Secretary shall call the roll of members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in alphabetical order, and, as each name is called, the Member shall announce his vote by saying “Yes” or “No”, as the case may be, or abstain,” if he is not voting. A member may explain his vote not to exceed three (3) minutes.

After the roll has been called, when voting nominally, the Secretary shall call in their alphabetical order the names of those not voting in order that they may vote. After this second calling of the roll, no request shall be entertained by the Chair to record a vote.

SECTION 6. PASSAGE of an ORDINANCE by GENERAL CONSENT. When an ordinance or any measure directing the payment of money or creating liability against the City is passed by general consent, the secretary shall enter in the minutes the names of all the Members present at that particular time, this having the effect of nominal voting.

SECTION 7. VOTING of an SP Member WITH PECUNIARY INTEREST. No Member shall vote on a question in which he or any Member of his family, within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity, has a direct or personal pecuniary interest. This does not, however, preclude any Member from voting for himself for any position within the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

SECTION 8. CHANGE of an SP Member’s VOTE. A Member may change his vote only before the Chair announces the result of the voting. Thereafter, a Member may change his vote only by unanimous consent.

SECTION 9. PERMISSION to VOTE by an SP Member WHO COMES LATE to the SESSION. A Member who arrives late at the meeting shall be permitted to vote, provided the result of the voting has not been announced yet by the Chair.

SECTION 10. QUORUM AS A REQUIREMENT to ENTERTAIN a MOTION DURING VOTING. No motion, except for the presence of a quorum, shall be entertained during the voting.

SECTION 1. The following motions, in the order of their precedence (from highest to lowest rank), together with the other motions hereinafter specified, shall be used in doing business in the Sangguniang Panlungsod:

FIX THE TIME at WHICH TO ADJOURN (Rank1), to provide a future time for the continuation of the session in progress.

ADJOURN (Rank 2), to formally terminate the session in progress.

TAKE A RECESS (Rank 3), to provide a brief intermission during the session.

QUESTION OR PRIVILEGE (Rank 4), to secure immediate action upon matter that involves the comfort, convenience, rights or privileges of the Sangguniang Panlungsod or of any of its Members.

CALL FOR ORDERS OF THE DAY (Rank 5), to bring before the Body for consideration any business assigned for a particular time.

LAY ON THE TABLE (Rank 6), to set aside a pending question for consideration at a later but undetermined time.

CALL FOR THE PREVIOUS QUESTION (Rank 7), to suppress discussion on a pending question and to bring it immediately to a vote.

MODIFY THE LIMITS OF DEBATE (Rank 8), to remove a standing restriction to shorten or to permit more time for the discussion of a pending question.

POSTPONE DEFINITELY (Rank 9), to defer the consideration of a question to a definite time in the future.

COMMIT (Rank 10), to refer a question or proposition to a Committee for study and recommendation.

AMEND (Rank 11), to modify a question to make it more acceptable to the Body.

POSTPONE INDEFINITELY (Rank 12), to defer indefinitely the consideration of a question.

MAIN MOTION (Rank 13), to bring before the Body a substantive proposition for its consideration.

SECTION 2. MOTIONS WHICH SHALL HAVE THE RANK of a MAIN MOTION.

TAKE FROM THE TABLE – to resume the consideration of a question that has been previously laid on the table.

RECONSIDER – to set aside the vote previously taken on a question and to reopen it to a new discussion and vote.

RECONSIDER AND HAVE ENTERED ON THE MINUTES – to suspend action on a question that has been decided by a temporary majority.

RESCIND OR REPEAL – to declare null and void a question previously passed.

EXPUNGE – to express strong disapproval to an action taken by the body and to have it removed completely.

ADOPT A REPORT- to accept or agree to a report as an official act of the body.

SECTION 3. INCIDENTAL MOTIONS WHICH HAVE NO FIXED RANK. Have no fixed rank but shall take precedence over the question from which they arise:

SUSPEND THE RULES – to allow the body to do something which it is otherwise forbidden to do by the rule or previously adopted orders of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

WITHDRAW OR MODIFY A MOTION – to remove a question from the consideration of the body or to modify the same.

READ PAPERS – to allow a member to read a paper, document, or book as part of his speech or remarks.

OBJECT TO THE CONSIDERATION OF A QUESTION – to avoid the consideration of a question which the body considers irrelevant, contentious, unprofitable, or generally objectionable.

POINT OF ORDER – to call attention to an error in the observance or enforcement of the rules of parliamentary procedure or those of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

POINT OF INFORMATION – to be informed of any matter related to the pending question or to the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY – to request information on matters pertaining to parliamentary law and procedure.

APPEAL FROM THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR – to ask the Body to decide whether the ruling made by the Chair on a question of order should be upheld or overruled.

DIVIDE THE ASSEMBLY – to verify the votes taken on a question or to secure a more accurate count of the vote.

DIVIDE THE QUESTION – to divide long and complicated prepositions into separate and distinct parts to facilitate their consideration.

SECTION 4. THE CHAIR’s ROLE for EVERY MOTION PRESENTED.

a) Every motion presented to the Body shall be stated by the Chair, or, if it be in writing, the Chair shall cause it to be read aloud by the Secretary, and the same shall be deemed as having been brought to the attention of the body for its consideration.

b) A motion to adjourn or to take a recess is in order even if a quorum is not present but not when the Body is engaged in voting or during the verification of the vote. If the body has voted to adjourn but there are still important announcements to be made, the Presiding Officer may defer the adjournment of the session to allow the making of the announcement.

SECTION 5. PRIVILEGE MOTIONS. The motions to fix the time at which to adjourn, take a recess, raise a question of privilege, and call for orders of the day are privileged motions and may be presented according to the order of their precedence even if any other motion or question is pending before the body. The motions to raise a question of privilege and to call for orders of the day may be made even if someone has the floor.

SECTION 6. QUESTIONS LAID on THE TABLE. Questions laid on the table must be taken up not later than the next regular meeting, otherwise they shall be considered abandoned and may be brought up again only by a new motion.

SECTION 7. MOTION TO CALL FOR a PREVIOUS QUESTION. A motion calling for the previous question requires for its approval a two-thirds vote of the Members present, but action on the principal question to which it is applied shall be determined by the vote necessary in each particular case as prescribed by these Rules.

SECTION 8. POSTPONEMENT of a QUESTION.

a) A question cannot be postponed beyond the next regular meeting or to a special or adjourned session unless provisions have been made for the holding of such a session.

b) A question may be postponed as a general order by majority vote, or as special order, by a two-thirds vote of the members present.

SECTION 9. ORDERS of the DAY. No orders of the day may be considered before the time to which it was assigned except by general consent or by a two-thirds vote of the Members present by suspending the rule fixing its time as an order of the day.

SECTION 10. MOTION TO AMEND and MOTION TO AN AMENDMENT.

a) When a question is under consideration, a motion to amend and a motion to an amendment shall be in order, and any of said amendments may be withdrawn before a decision is had thereon.

b) No motion on subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment. An amendment which merely negates an affirmative proposition is likewise out of order.

c) Once an amendment has been adopted or rejected, the same or substantially the same amendment cannot be reintroduced at the same meeting unless the vote on the original amendment has been reconsidered or the motion to amend has been withdrawn.

d) Amendments to the title of an ordinance or resolution shall not be in order until after the text thereof has been approved. Amendments to the title shall be decided without debate.

SECTION 11. RIGHT of an SP MEMBER to MOVE for RECONSIDERATION of a MEASURE.

a) When an ordinance or any other measure, decided by any nominal voting, has been adopted or lost, it shall be in order for any Member who voted with the majority at the same or the next session, to move for the reconsideration thereof, and such motion shall take precedence over all other questions, excepts the motions to fix the time to adjourn, and to take a recess. The motion to reconsider shall be passed by a majority vote of the members present regardless of the vote required by the question to be reconsidered. Provided, however, that a Member who voted with the minority may present a motion for reconsideration, if seconded by a Member from the prevailing side. Any Member who abstained from voting shall have absolutely no right to ask for reconsideration.

b) A motion to reconsider a question must be called on the same day it was moved or the same may be also called up not later than the next meeting. Thereafter it is banned.

c) An ordinance, resolution, or any other question may be rescinded, repealed, or expunged at any session subsequent to the one at which it was adopted, by a majority vote of the Members present, with notice thereof given at the previous session, or by a two-thirds vote of the members present, without need of such notice. A motion to rescind, repeal or expunge may be made only if the time to reconsider the controverted question has already elapsed.

SECTION 12. SUSPENSION to the ORDER of BUSINESS, BUSINESS PROCEDURE and SIMILAR STANDING RULES.

a) Rules relating to the order of business, business procedure, and similar standing rules, except those prescribed by statutory law, may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Members present, provided, that said suspension shall be effected for as long as the question for which the rule is suspended remains pending before the Body.

b) The consideration of a question may be objected by two-thirds of the members present, but the motion may not be applied to directives or communications from higher governing body, committee reports, and amendments to the Rules of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

SECTION 13. APPEAL from the DECISION of the CHAIR. An appeal from the decision of the Chair must be made immediately after the decision appealed from has been made. If any business has intervened, it shall be out of order. It is debatable when it relates to indecorum, priority of business, transgression of the rules of speaking, or if it arises out of an undebatable question. If the question is debatable, any Member may speak in respect to the appeal once, but the Presiding Officer may speak on it twice, first, in explaining his decision, and then, in answer to the arguments against his decision.

SECTION 14. DIVISION of the ASSEMBLY. A call for a division of the assembly should be made if someone has the floor but before another motion has been stated by the Chair.

SECTION 15. MOTION TO READ any PART of the RULES OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD. A motion to read any part of the Rules of the Sangguniang Panlungsod is equivalent to a call to order and shall have the precedence corresponding to it.

SECTION 16. WITHDRAWAL or MODIFICATION of a MOTION.

a) A motion may be withdrawn or modified as a matter of right before it has been stated by the Chair. If the request be made after the motion has been stated by the Chair, it may be withdrawn only be general consent, or, if there is an objection, by a majority vote of the Members.

b) No motion, having failed passage, shall again be allowed at the same session unless there has been a substantial change in the proposition. The motions to fix the time to which to adjourn, call for orders of the day, close nominations or the polls, fix the limits of debate, lay on the table, postpone definitely or indefinitely, commit or refer, call for the previous question, take a recess, and take from the table may be renewed after a change in parliamentary situation during the session. The motion to object to the consideration of a question, if rejected, may not again be renewed on the same question.

SECTION 17. MOTIONS RELATING TO NOMINATIONS and VOTING. All motions relating to nominations and voting, if made while a question or an election is pending, are incidental motions. If they are made at any other time, they shall be treated as main motions.

SECTION 1. All businesses before the Sangguniang Panlungsod and its committees at the end of one session shall be resumed at the commencement of its next session.

SECTION 2. Business left unacted upon at the termination of one Sangguniang Panlungsod Session may be considered in the succeeding SP Session as matters of unfinished business.

SECTION 1. The Sangguniang Panlungsod may invite any official or personnel of the City Government or such official of the National Government based in Pagadian City to appear before it in any session to shed light on matters pertinent to his/her office which may be necessary in aid of legislation. Said official or personnel shall be informed of the subject matter two (2) days before his/her appearance.

SECTION 1. SPECIAL REPORT DURATION. A special report consisting of one (1) hour during which any Member may address the body on any matter of public interest.

SECTION 2. RULES OF SPECIAL REPORT:

That any member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod who would like to avail of the privilege time on any subject of public nature or interest shall register his/her request with the Floor Leader who shall schedule such request as one (1) of the agenda of the session.

During the session, the Chair shall request the member who seeks recognition from the Chair to state what question of privilege he or she will bring to the attention of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and if such question involves public nature or interest, the Chair, through the Floor Leader, shall recognize him or her.

The member so recognized to address the body during the privilege time shall continue to rise during the privilege time allotted to him/her and shall speak for not more than ten (10) minutes.

The member concerned, shall in the course of his/her privilege speech, limit or confine his piece to his stated subject and shall never deviate therefrom nor resort to name-calling, mudslinging, innuendoes and other unparliamentary or derogatory remarks against the dignity and/or reputation of any public official or private citizen or of any entity or institution. He or she shall, at all time, maintain proper decorum befitting the dignity, integrity, and reputation of a member of the body.

If at this juncture, the speaker deviates from his/her stated subject or resort to unparliamentary or derogatory remarks, the Presiding Officer shall interrupt him/her and warn him/her not to deviate therefrom or resort to such unparliamentary or derogatory remarks. If said speaker continues to ignore the warnings, the Chair shall direct the speaker to take his/her seat, and to order the striking out from records such remark.

If the ten (10) minutes allotted to him/her is not enough, he/she shall, immediately thereafter, request the Chair for extension of not more than five (5) minutes.

While the speaker is delivering his privilege speech, no other member shall interrupt or interpolate said speaker until he has finished his speech, except, on question of point of order.

After the privilege speech of the speaker, any other member(s) may propound clarifying questions to him/her but in no case shall such interpellation exceed a period of five (5) minutes.

If the member feels that there is need to give a rejoinder or to amplify the subject matter, he may do so if the Chair so recognizes him/her, provided that the one hour privilege time is not yet exhausted.

If the privilege speech of any member calls for a debate, before closing his speech, he may, without debate, notify the body of his intention to have the matter included in the agenda, or any member other than the speaker may likewise notify the body for the inclusion of the same in the agenda.

Debate on the merits or demerits of the measure sought to be included in the agenda shall be made only during the consideration of the same in the agenda.

If, after the period of interpellation, the one-hour privilege time has not yet expired, any other member may seek recognition to avail of the remaining unused privilege time, with the right to continue in the next regular session, if he/she has not finished his speech within the ten (10) minutes time allotted to each member under these rules.

Preference in reservation in the next regular session shall be in the following order:

The member who has notified the Chair of his intention to deliver rejoinder or remarks on the matter taken up by the speaker or speakers in the previous session.

The member who availed of the remaining unused privilege time and was not able to finish his speech arising from the expiration of the one-hour privilege time.

The member who has not yet availed of the privilege time during the last two regular sessions.

SECTION 1. The national language, Cebuano and English shall be used in the proceedings of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. However, the Speaker, at his option, during the privilege time may choose any language or dialect spoken of and understood by the majority of the people in the City of Pagadian.

SECTION 1. Any member who commits any of the following disorderly acts or behavior during session shall, by 2/3 votes of the body, be reprimanded by the chair or for repeated commission of the same during the same session, be excluded from the session.

Absences without justifiable cause for four (4) consecutive sessions for which they may be censured, reprimanded, or excluded from the session, suspended for not more than sixty (60) days, or expelled.

Refusal after repeated warnings made by the Presiding Officer to desist from employing offensive or improper language or unparliamentary or derogatory remarks against an invited guest or a member of the body or the body itself.

Refusal to abide by the ruling of the Presiding Officer or of the body on question of point of order and other question involving proper decorum.

Taking the floor without having been first recognized by the Chair, through the Floor Leader, and refusing to give up the floor after the Presiding Officer has directed him or her to this effect.

SECTION 1. DOCUMENTS and PAPERS of BUSINESSES DISPOSED BY the COMMITTEES.

a) As businesses are disposed of by the committees, all documents and papers related to such businesses shall be delivered to the Secretary who shall keep the same in the files of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

b) At the adjournment of the last session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, all papers still in the possession of any committee shall be delivered to the Secretary who shall preserve them in files of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in the manner required by the character of said papers.

c) These documents must be signed by all the Committee Members.

SECTION 2. RELEASE OR ISSUANCE of a CERTIFIED COPY of any SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD RECORD. The Secretary shall, upon written request of any person, issue a certified copy of any record within his control and shall be authorized to charge a fee for said purpose in the manner prescribed by law.

SECTION 1. CONSENT or VOTES NEEDED FOR A SUSPENSION of the RULE. Any part of these rules, not prescribed by, or based on statutory law or any higher act, may be suspended by general consent or by a two-thirds vote of the member present, provided that the suspension of the rule shall be for the sole purpose of the question pending at the time the motion for which said suspension is made.

SECTION 2. SUSPENSION of the RULES APPLICABILITY.

a) Notwithstanding the provision of the immediate preceding section, no part of these Rules may be suspended if its effect is to protect absentee members.

b) The rules of this body may be suspended to allow non-members thereof to address it in session or whenever it is necessary and practical.

SECTION 1. AMENDMENT to the INTERNAL RULES of PROCEDURE. These Rules may be amended at any regular or special session called for the purpose, upon proposed amendment presented in writing, and shall be approved by a vote of two-thirds of all members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.(; Provided, however, that no amendment to these Rules shall be made within six (6) months from its promulgation.)

SECTION 2. RULE of NON-REVISION of these INTERNAL RULES. No provision of these Rules which is prescribed by, or based on statutory law or any other higher authority may be amended or revised.

The rules of procedure and parliamentary practices generally accepted by the legislative body of the Philippines, the Parliamentary Rules by Orendain, Fajardo, and other authorities, and the Roberts Rules, Newest Edition, shall serve as supplementary authorities of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in so far as they are not incompatible with its own rules and standing orders.

These Rules shall take effect upon the adoption and approval by a majority of all Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.”