Sangguniang Panlungsod Explained

The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is the local legislative body of a city government in the Philippines.^[1] The name of the legislative body comes from the Filipino words "sanggunian" ("council") – ultimately from the root word "sangguni" ("to consult") – both of Tagalog origins, with the latter word also of Kapampangan and Old Tagalog origins, and "lungsod" ("city") of both Tagalog ("lungsod" = "city") – but ultimately Cebuano ("lungsod" = town or municipality) – origins; "city council" is therefore often used as an equivalent term in English or Philippine English. Members of the city council are referred to as "kagawad"; while in mostly but not only predominantly Cebuano-speaking cities, they are called "konsehal" (masc.) and "konsehala" (fem.), or "sehal".

The Local Government Code of 1991 governs the composition, powers and functions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.^[1] The members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, often referred to as councilors, are either elected or serve in an ex officio capacity. The city's vice mayor serves as the presiding officer.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod is a form of the mayor–council government, via the "strong mayor" variant.

Powers, duties, and functions

The Sangguniang Panlungsod, as the legislative body of the city, is mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991 to:^[1]

Approve ordinances and resolutions
Generate and maximize the use of resources and revenues for the development plans, program objectives and priorities of the city
Enact ordinances granting franchises and authorizing the issuance of permits or licenses, subject to the provisions of Book II of the Local Government Code of 1991,
Regulate activities relative to the use of land, buildings and structures within the city
Approve ordinances which shall ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the basic services and facilities as provided for under Section 17 of the Local Government Code
Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance

Composition

Presiding officer

The city vice mayor serves as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, although he/she has no voting privilege except in cases to break a deadlock. In the absence of the vice mayor, a temporary presiding officer is assigned by the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod from among themselves.

Regular members

The number of elected councilors a city's Sangguniang Panlungsod is entitled to is determined by statutes. In some cases, the number of regular SP members and/or the delineation of SP districts is provided in the city's own charter (e.g., Sorsogon City^[2]) or in a separate Congressional Act (e.g., Bacoor^[3]).

In absence of such provisions, the Republic Acts numbered 6636 and 7166^[4] provide that the default size of a city's SP is ten members, elected at large. The exceptions are:

if a Metro Manila city comprises a lone legislative district, COMELEC divides the city into two SP districts which elect 6 members each, for a total of 12;
if a Metro Manila city is divided into two or more legislative districts, each district elects 6 members, unless explicitly provided for in the city's charter or another statute (e.g., Makati, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Taguig);
if a city outside Metro Manila comprises a lone legislative district, it elects 12 members as one at-large district;
if a city outside Metro Manila is divided into two or more legislative districts, each district elects 8 members.

Of all the cities, Manila and Quezon City have the most elected councilors with 36 each, followed by Davao City with 24 and Caloocan with 18.

Total	District (as of 2022)^[5] ^[6] ^[7]							Cities
Total	At-large	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	Cities
								Manila, Quezon City
								Davao City
								Caloocan
								Antipolo, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Makati, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Taguig, Zamboanga City
12								Samal, Sorsogon City
							Bacoor, Calbayog, Las Piñas, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, San Jose del Monte, San Juan, Valenzuela
							Baguio, Bacolod, Batangas City, Biñan, Calamba, Dasmariñas, General Santos, General Trias, Iligan, Iloilo City, Imus, Lapu-Lapu, Lipa, Mandaue, San Pedro, San Fernando (La Union), Santa Rosa, Tuguegarao
								Alaminos, Angeles City, Bago, Balanga, Bais, Balanga, Batac, Bayawan, Baybay, Bayugan, Bislig, Bogo, Borongan, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Cabanatuan, Cabuyao, Cadiz, Calapan, Candon, Canlaon, Carcar, Catbalogan, Cauayan, Cavite City, Cotabato City, Dagupan, Danao, Dapitan, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, El Salvador, Escalante, Gapan, Gingoog, Guihulngan, Himamaylan, Ilagan, Iriga, Isabela, Kabankalan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Lamitan, Laoag, Ligao, Legazpi, Lucena, Maasin, Mabalacat, Malaybalay, Malolos, Marawi, Masbate, Mati, Meycauayan, Muñoz, Naga (Camarines Sur), Naga (Cebu), Olongapo, Ormoc, Oroquieta, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Sagay, San Carlos (Negros Occidental), San Carlos (Pangasinan), San Fernando (Pampanga), San Jose, San Pablo, Santiago, Santo Tomas, Silay, Sipalay, Surigao City, Tabaco, Tabuk, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran, Tagum, Talisay (Cebu), Talisay (Negros Occidental), Tandag, Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac City, Tayabas, Toledo, Trece Martires, Urdaneta, Valencia, Victorias, Vigan

Other members

Similar to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in the provinces or Sangguniang Bayan in the municipalities, the Local Government Code of 1991 also allocates a Sangguniang Panlungsod seat each to the city chairpersons of the Liga ng mga Barangay (League of Barangays), Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan (Federation of Youth Councils), and other sectoral representatives as determined locally relevant, such as an IP Representative.^[1]

Notes and References

Web site: Republic Act No. 7160 – An Act providing for a Local Government Code of 1991 . October 10, 1991 . August 10, 2019 . The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines . Congress of the Philippines.
Web site: . Republic Act No. 8806 – An Act Creating the City of Sorsogon by Merging the Municipalities of Bacon and Sorsogon in the Province of Sorsogon and Appropriating Funds Therefor . The Corpus Juris . August 16, 2000 . August 11, 2019.
Web site: . Republic Act No. 11274 – An Act Amending Section 10(b) of Republic Act No. 10160, Otherwise Known as the "Charter of the City of Bacoor" . The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines . July 23, 2018 . August 11, 2019.
Web site: . COMELEC Resolution No. 10418 . September 5, 2018 . August 11, 2019.
Web site: . COMELEC Resolution No. 10418 – Annex C . September 5, 2018 . August 11, 2019.
Web site: . COMELEC Resolution No. 10431, raising the number of SP members for General Trias . October 1, 2018 . August 11, 2019.
Web site: . COMELEC Resolution No. 10433, raising the number of SP members for Calamba . October 4, 2018 . August 11, 2019.