Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

POLITICAL SECTION

101

provinces are elected by direct vote of the people. The municipal councilors in these provinces are chosen by the qualified
electors of their respective barrios. There is a municipal treasurer in each municipality whose appointment and discipline
are governed by the civil service law and regulations. The
president is the chief executive of the municipality. He presides at meetings of the council and has the power of veto.
The vice-president is ex-officio member of the council and takes
the place of the president in the latter's absence or disability.
Each councilor, besides performing his regular legislative duties
as a member of the council, is given charge of a barrio or ward
and he acts as the special representative of the people of his
ward in the council, although he is elected at large. He is
empowered by law to appoint a lieutenant of barrio who acts
under his immediate supervision and assists him in the performance of his duties in the barrio. The other officials in
the municipality are the justice of the peace, the local health
officer and the municipal secretary, who is the recorder and
clerk of the council and of the president and the custodian of
municipal records. Municipal councilors receive no salary, but
in the regular provinces the municipal council may, with the
approval of the Provincial Board and the Secretary of the
Interior, grant to the vice-president and each councilor a per
diem not to exceed two pesos for each day of regular session
of the council actually attended by them. The barrio lieutenants and their substitutes receive no salary but they are exempt from the payment of cedula tax while holding office as
such. The rest of municipal officials get regular compensation.
A police force is maintained in each municipality upon which
devolves the preservation of peace and order. The municipalities have the power to pass ordinances on a great variety of
subjects. They have police and tax powers, the power to
borrow money, to appropriate and expend funds, to enter into
contracts, to conduct public utilities, acquire, manage and dispose of property, and to expropriate private property for municipal public purposes.
The municipal districts, whereof there are 291 in number,
are local units existing mostly in special provinces. The difference between municipal districts and municipalities is one