Section 25Sec./Art. 25

Temporary Vacancy in the Office of the City Mayor. (a) When the city mayor is temporarily incapacitated to perform his or her duties for physical or legal reasons such as, but not limited to, leave of absence, travel abroad and suspension from office, the city vice mayor or the highest sangguniang panlungsod member shall automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the city mayor, except the power to appoint, suspend or dismiss employees which can only be exercised if the period of temporary incapacity exceeds thirty (30) working days.

(b) Said temporary incapacity shall terminate upon submission to the sangguniang panlungsod of a written declaration by the city mayor that he or she has reported back to office. In case where the temporary incapacity is due to legal cause, the city mayor shall also submit necessary documents showing that the said legal cause no longer exists.

(c) When the city mayor is traveling within the country but outside the territorial jurisdiction for a period not exceeding three (3) consecutive days, he or she may designate in writing the officer-in-charge of his or her office. Such authorization shall specify the powers and functions that the local official concerned shall exercise in the absence of the city mayor, except the power to appoint, suspend or dismiss employees.

(d) In the event, however, that the city mayor fails or refuses to issue such authorization, the city vice mayor or the highest ranking sangguniang panlungsod member, as the case may be, shall have the right to assume the powers, duties and functions of the said office on the fourth (4th) day of absence of the city mayor, subject to the limitations provided for in subsection (c) hereof.

(e) Except as provided above, the city mayor shall, in no case, authorize any local official to assume the powers, duties and functions of the office other than the city vice mayor or the highest ranking member of the sangguniang panlungsod, as the case may be.

ARTICLE VII

THE APPOINTIVE OFFICIALS OF THE CITY