Section 21. General powers and duties of the Mayor.— The Mayor shall have the following general powers and duties:
To take care that the laws of the Philippines, the provisions of this Charter, and the ordinances and resolutions of the city are faithfully observed and enforced within the jurisdiction of the city;
To safeguard all the lands, buildings, records, monies, credits and properties and rights of the city, and subject to the provisions of this charter, have control of all its property;
To see that all taxes and other revenues of the city are collected and applied in accordance with appropriations to the payments of the city expenses;
To cause to be instituted judicial proceedings to recover property and funds of the city wherever found; to cause to be defended all suits against the city and otherwise to protect the interest of the city;
To see that the executive officers and employees of the city are properly discharging their respective duties, and the Mayor may, in the interest of service, transfer officers and employees not appointed by the President of the Philippines from one section, division service, or department, to another section, division, service or department without changing the compensation they receive;
To examine and inspect the books, records, and papers of all officials, agents, and employees of the City, over whom he has executive supervision and control, at least once a year and whenever circumstances so warrant. For this purpose he shall be provided by the City Board with such clerical or other assistance as may be necessary;
To give such information and recommend such measures to the Board as he shall deem advantageous to the city;
To attend, if he wishes to do so, the session of the City Board and participate in the discussions, but not to vote;
To represent the city in all its business matters and sign in its behalf all its bonds, contracts, and obligations made in accordance with law or ordinance;
To submit to the City Board at least one month before the beginning of each fiscal year a budget of receipts and expenditures of the city;
To receive, hear, and decide as he may deem proper the protests, petitions, complaints, and claims concerning all classes of municipal matters of an administrative and executive character;
To grant or refuse city licenses or permits of all classes, including permits for benefits of whatever kind, any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding and to revoke the same for violation of the conditions upon which they were granted, or if acts prohibited by law or city ordinance are being committed under the protection of such license or in the premises in which the business for which the same have been granted is carried on, or for any other good reason of general and public interest;
To take such emergency measures as may be necessary to avoid fires, floods, and to mitigate the effects of storms and other public calamities;
To request, if public interest and safety so require, the assistance of the Philippine Constabulary and other police agencies of the National Government in maintaining peace and order in the city and only in such cases and upon specific request made can the Philippine Constabulary or other national police agencies intervene in the preservation of peace and order in the city;
Subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Law and rules, to appoint all officers and employees whose salaries are paid wholly or partly from city funds, any existing law to the contrary notwithstanding, except such officers whose appointments are vested in the President or otherwise provided for in this Charter, and regular employees in the city auditor’s office. Officers and employees appointed by the Mayor may be suspended by him for cause, and on the grounds provided by Civil Service Law and rules, for a period not exceeding thirty days, which suspension may continue for a longer period but not exceeding ninety days if concurred in by the City Board, and after proper investigation in accordance with Civil Service Law and rules may discharge such officer or employee, any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding. The Mayor may recommend to the President or to the proper national department head the investigation and/or suspension and removal of any city officer or employee not appointed by him;
To prepare and make out plans for the physical development of the city, zoning and land subdivision rules and regulations, subject to the approval of the City Board, in accordance with existing laws to that effect;
To submit an annual report to the Office of the Executive Secretary; and
To perform such other duties and exercise such other executive powers as may be prescribed by law or ordinances.