The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is the local legislative body of a city government in the Philippines.
[1] The name of the legislative body comes from the Filipino words "sanggunian" ("council") – ultimately from the root word "sangguni" ("to consult") – both of Tagalog origins, with the latter word also of Kapampangan and Old Tagalog origins, and "lungsod" ("city") of both Tagalog ("lungsod" = "city") – but ultimately Bisayan ("lungsod" = town or municipality) – origins; "city council" is therefore often used as an equivalent term in English or Philippine English.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod, as the legislative body of the city, is mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991 to:[1] The city vice mayor serves as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, although he/she has no voting privilege except in cases to break a deadlock.
In the absence of the vice mayor, a temporary presiding officer is assigned by the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod from among themselves.
In absence of such provisions, the Republic Acts numbered 6636 and 7166[4] provide that the default size of a city's SP is ten members, elected at large.