Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section seven of Republic Act Numbered Five hundred twenty-three, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Butuan, is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 7. The Mayor—His election, qualifications and compensation.—The Mayor shall be the chief executive of the city. He shall be elected by the qualified voters of the city during every election for provincial and municipal officials in conformity with the provisions of the Revised Election Code. No person shall be elected mayor unless he is at least twenty-five years of age, a resident of the city for at least two years prior to his election, and a qualified voter therein.

"He shall receive compensation as provided in Republic Act Numbered Eight hundred forty, entitled 'An Act classifying chartered cities, except Manila, Baguio and Quezon Cities, according to their annual revenues and fixing the salaries of the officials thereof."

SEC. 2. Section eight of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 8. The Vice-Mayor—His election, qualifications, duties and compensation.—There shall be a vice-mayor who shall be elected in the same manner as the mayor and shall at the time of his election possess the same qualifications as the mayor. He shall perform the duties of the mayor, in the event of the sickness, absence or other temporary incapacity of the mayor, or in the event of a definitive vacancy in the position of mayor. If, for any reason, the vice-mayor is temporarily incapacitated for the performance of the duties of the office of the mayor, or said office of the vice-mayor is vacant, the duties of the mayor shall be performed by the councilor who obtained the highest number of votes. The acting mayor shall have the same powers and duties as the mayor.

"The vice-mayor shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the mayor or prescribed by law or ordinance. He shall receive a salary of not exceeding three thousand pesos per annum."

SEC. 3. Section eleven of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 11. Constitution and organization of the Municipal Board—Compensation of members thereof.—The Municipal Board shall be the legislative body of the city and shall be composed of the vice-mayor, who shall be its presiding officer, and six councilors who shall be elected at large by popular vote during every election for provincial and municipal officials in conformity with the provisions of the Revised Election Code. In case of sickness, absence, suspension or other temporary disability of any member of the Board, or if necessary to maintain a quorum, the President of the Philippines may appoint a temporary substitute who shall possess all the rights and perform all the duties of a member of the Board until the return to duty of the regular incumbent.

"If any member of the Municipal Board should be a candidate for office in any election, he shall be disqualified to act with the Board in the discharge of the duties conferred upon it relative to election matters, and in such case the other members of the Board shall discharge said duties without his assistance, or they may choose some disinterested elector of the city to act with the Board in such matters in his stead.

"The members of the Municipal Board shall receive compensation as provided in Republic Act Numbered Eight hundred forty."

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval: Provided, That the incumbent appointive Mayor and vice-mayor of the City of Butuan shall continue to hold office and the present composition of the Municipal Board of said city shall likewise continue until the elective City Mayor, vice-mayor and councilors provided for in this Act shall have been elected in the next regular election for provincial and municipal officials and shall have qualified.

Approved, June 16, 1955.