When Commonwealth Act No. 39, which chartered the City Government of Zamboanga was signed by Pres. Manuel L. Quezon on October 12, 1936, the first set of city officials were appointed by the President upon the City Charter’s Inauguration held on February 26, 1937. Among the first set of City Officials was the first City Treasurer and member of the City Council, Rosalio Macrohon. He was then succeeded by Benjamin Quidilla, Ramon Regondola, Jose Barinaga, Vicente Vasquez, Pedro Herrera (from Pagadian), Leo Suizo, Francisco Herrera, Francisco Martinez, Vicente Fabian, Jaime Vasquez, Rizalina Eisma (from Jolo), Edgardo Francisco, Soledad L. Li, and at present, Romelita F. Candido.
During its first year of operation, the Office of the City Treasurer had thirty-eight (38) revenue sources, among which were; (1) real property taxes, (2) manufactured oil allotment, (3) receipts from markets and slaughterhouses, (4) licenses, (5) motor vehicle allotment, (6) aid from provincial government, (7) BIR allotment, (8) residence certificates (cedulas), (9) transfer between provincial funds and waterworks fund, and (10) cattle registration fees. After the war, the City Treasurer has been empowered to increase its taxing power and to attest appointments as Deputy of the Commissioner of Civil Service through Republic Act No. 2264 dated June 19, 1959. It acted as the paymaster of the different city offices, some of which now belong to the National Government such as the Police Department, Fire Department, Division of City Schools, Motor Vehicle Office (LTO), and Civil Aeronautics Administration (ATO), among others.
Before the creation of the City Budget Office and the City Accountant Office, the functions of their offices were being performed by the Office of the City Treasurer, and so with the property management and custodian functions, which were also transferred to the Office of the General Services upon its creation by virtue of the Local Government Code of 1991.
From a mere workforce of forty-eight (48) personnel, it has now grown to one hundred seventy-three (173) personnel assigned to different collecting points such as the Public Markets (Main Public Market, Sta. Cruz Market and Bagsakan Center), Ayala sub-office in the West Coast, sub-office at Pettit Barracks, and at the main office located at the City Hall ground floor.
In its first year of operation, the Office of the City Treasurer has generated for the City Government an annual income of more or less half a million pesos while at present, it has an annual income of one billion pesos including Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).