As the executive officer considered as the head of the city, the next mayor of Cagayan de Oro City has many duties to fulfill. During elections, voters are often faced with a difficult decision as to who to vote for mayor. To make the deciding part easier, it can help if we know the responsibilities of a mayor. This way, we can see if the candidate we like will fit the job description.

The mayor, first and foremost, works with a body of officials – like town council or board of commissioners – in order to enact legislations such as city taxes, liquor laws, and others. The mayor is usually the presiding officer in these legislative meetings and is the one who should sign all official documents. In addition, the mayor also appoints people into certain positions, like city clerk or city treasurer.

Improving the growth and development of the city is also one of the tasks of a mayor. This includes promoting the beauty, culture, art, tourist attractions and recreational activities of the area. Tourism is always a large component of a city’s economy. It is imperative for mayors to foster this lucrative industry.

In line with enhancing the city’s economy, one of the mayor’s tasks is attracting and retaining businesses in his or her area of responsibility. Doing this helps build the city’s tax base as well as create job opportunities. Not only that, the city will then be on its way to becoming exceptionally advanced.

More importantly, when deciding on what steps to take for the city’s growth, mayors should also consider listening to the citizens. This will help him or her in making any changes, or potential changes, to legislation.

With all these things said, we may conclude that it is not easy to be a city mayor, especially in a highly urbanized and prominent city like Cagayan de Oro. For this reason, it is important for residents to vote wisely.

-by Gillian Abonitalla
(Photo taken from damarre.wordpress.com)