1. Each province shall be made up of cities (lungsod), towns or municipalities (bayan) as prescribed by the state charter or federal law and shall enjoy local autonomy and authority.

2. Otherwise specified by this Constitution or federal law, chartered cities shall work hand-in-hand with the state they are in to build a strong, self-governing, fiscally independent state.

In the old republic, chartered cities are independent from the provinces they were in. Here, the cities are asked to help their states fiscally.

3. Each city, town or municipality shall be headed by a mayor (alkalde) duly elected by the people. His extent of power, duties and responsibilities, and terms of office shall be specified by the city charter, state charter, federal law or this Constitution.

4. Each city, town or municipality shall have a Sangguniang-Bayan (city/town council) composed of one duly recognized and elected delegate from every baranggay contained therein. Its extent of power, hierarchical organization, duties and responsibilities, and terms of office shall be specified by the state charter, federal law or this Constitution.

Formerly, the Sanguniang-Bayan is independently elected. In this Constitution, they are composed of members from the baranggay council. This is another one of the many provisions of streamlining the government. Also note the absence of the position of a “vice-mayor.”

Like its larger counterpart, the Sanguniang-Pangkalahatan, its duties and responsibilities are again under the purview of the state-charter authors.

5. As a rule of succession, otherwise defined by the state charter, in case of death, permanent disability, removal from office or resignation of the mayor, or the absence of a duly elected vice-mayor as provided by local charter, the Sangguniang-Bayan members shall elect among themselves a successor to the office of the mayor to serve the remaining term of office.