CHAPTER XIII MUNICIPALITIES 123. General Description.-Before the coming of the Spaniards, the Philippines were divided into “barangays.' The Spaniards changed the "barangays" to "pueblos" and divided them into "barrios." Now we have "municipalities," of which there are nearly a thousand in the Philippines. Municipalities are divided into four classes according to population. The first class 1 contains twenty-five thousand 1 1 The municipalities of the first class are, in the order of their population, as given by the census of 1918 and executive orders of the Governor-General, the following: inhabitants or more; the second class, between eighteen thousand and twenty-five thousand; the third class, between ten thousand and eighteen thousand; and the fourth class, less than ten thousand inhabitants. The number of councilors and the salaries of the officers differ according to the class of the municipality. Municipalities are divided into barrios by the council. 124. Municipal Officers.-The chief officers of the municipality are the president, vice-president, councilors, secretary, treasurer, and chief of police. To assist the councilor, there is in each barrio an officer known as the lieutenant of barrio (teniente del barrio). The president, the vice-president, and the councilors are elected by the people of the municipality. The secretary, the treasurer, the chief of police, and the lieutenants of barrios are not elected, but are appointed. The president, secretary, treasurer, and chief of police receive salaries. The vice-president, except when acting as president, the councilors, and the lieutenants of barrios, receive no salaries. An elective municipal officer must be a qualified voter, THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING (PRESIDENCIA), PARAÑAQUE, RIZAL a resident of the municipality for at least one year, loyal to the United States, not less than twenty-three years of age, and able to read and write either English, Spanish, or the local dialect. Priests or ministers, soldiers in active service, persons receiving salaries from the province or the central Government, and contractors for public works cannot be elected or appointed to municipal office. 125. The Municipal President. The municipal president is the chief executive officer of the municipality. He is elected for a term of three years. The best man in the municipality should be chosen as municipal president. By best man is meant one who has administrative ability and is honest, courageous, and energetic. The president has many duties. For example, he exercises general supervision over municipal officers. He sees that the laws and ordinances are faithfully obeyed. He presides at the meetings of the council. He can refuse to sign an ordinance passed by the council, if he considers it harmful to the public welfare. He appoints certain municipal officers and employees with the consent of the council. Every three months he makes a report on crop and livestock conditions, and once a year he reports on the general condition of his municipality. In addition to these and other duties prescribed by law, the president should take an active interest in the welfare of his municipality and its people. 126. The Municipal Vice-President.-The municipal vice-president is elected for a term of three years. He acts as president in case of a vacancy. He is also a member of the council. He has supervision over the district in which the municipal offices are situated. 127. Councilors and Lieutenants of Barrios.-Each councilor has supervision over a barrio or district. It is his duty to report the needs of his district to the council. He must inform the inhabitants of his district of all laws and ordinances which concern them. The councilor can also appoint one lieutenant for each barrio or portion of a barrio that is under supervision. The lieutenant of barrio is usually known as the “teniente." He must be a qualified voter of the municipality. The office is an honorary one, the lieutenant of barrio receiving no salary. The lieutenant of barrio assists the councilor to perform his duties, maintains order, and makes arrests when necessary. The lieutenant of barrio should prove a real leader of the people in the barrio. 128. The Municipal Council.-Councilors serve in a body known as the municipal council. The municipal council is the legislative body of the municipality; that is, it makes the laws. The number of councilors depends on the class of municipality. In municipalities of the first class there are eighteen councilors; in the second class, fourteen councilors; in the third class, ten councilors; and in the fourth class, eight councilors. Councilors are elected for terms of three years. The position is an honorary one without salary. The council decides the time and place of its meetings. Regular meetings must be held once in every two weeks. The president or any two members of the council can call a special meeting by giving written notice of it to each member of the council. A majority of the council must be present at each meeting; otherwise the council cannot act. The meetings of the council are public except when appointments for office are being discussed. The council determines its own rules of procedure. It keeps a journal of its proceedings, that is, a book showing all action taken, which must be signed by the president and the secretary. Whenever an ordinance is passed or any proposition is carried which creates a debt for the municipality, the councilors must vote by ayes and noes. The affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of the council is necessary in order to pass any ordinance or any proposition which requires an expenditure of |