[ Act No. 1688, August 17, 1907 ]

AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR CERTAIN PUBLIC WORKS, AMENDING 1G62. PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS, AND OTHER PURPOSES OF THE INSULAR GOVERNMENT.

By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that:

Section 1. The following sums, in Philippine currency, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, unless otherwise specified, for certain public works, permanent improvements, and other purposes of the Insular Government:

BUREAU OF PUBLIC WORKS.

For the construction of the Loboc-Bilar road, one hundred thousand pesos; for the completion of the Cebu-Toledo road, one hundred and sixty-seven thousand pesos; for the construction of permanent  bridges and completion, of the Carcar-Barili road, one hundred and three thousand pesos; for the construction of permanent bridges and completion of the Tabaco-Ligao road, one hundred and eighty-six road' thousand six hundred  pesos;  for the construction of permanent bridges and the completion of the Bay-Tiaong road, forty-two thousand three hundred pesos; for the construction of permanent bridges on the Calamba-Los Bafios-Bay road, thirty-two thousand pesos; for completion of the Capas-Iba-O'Donnell road, ninety-eight  thousand two hundred pesos: for the improvement of the Benguet road, thirty-eight thousand peso  for the construction of the Pasay-Camp Hayson road, fifty-four thousand one hundred and twenty-five pesos: Provided, That the government of any province, organ-provided under the Provincial Government Act, traversed by any one or more of the above-mentioned road projects shall accept the provisions of Act Numbered Sixteen hundred and fifty-two, and by resolutions of the respective provincial boards guarantee by continuing annual appropriations the establishment and maintenance, at the expense of provincial funds, of such conservation System as shall be necessary in the judgment of the Director of Public Works: in the event of the failure of any provincial government to carry out the terms of the resolution adopted by it, as aforesaid, and to make the annual appropriations for the establishment and maintenance of such conservation system, the Governor-General may direct the Insular Auditor to withhold from the portion of internal revenue accruing to the province, or from any other moneys in the Insular Treasury belonging to said province, an amount equal to the unprovided cost of said conservation system, and the Governor-General may also direct the expenditure of the funds so withheld for the earning out of the terms of the original resolution and for the maintenance of the roads and bridges to which said resolution refers: and for the construction, improvement, and, when necessary, for the maintenance of roads and bridges in the provinces, to be allotted in the discretion of the Secretary of  Commerce and Police, five hundred thousand pesos: Provided, That unexpended funds from the amounts stated, for the foregoing specific projects may be utilized for general road and bridge construction and improvement projects in the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce and Police upon recommendation by the Director of Public Works; in all, one million three hundred and twenty-one thousand, two hundred and twenty-five pesos.

For the construction of a general hospital at Manila, seven hundred and eighty thousand pesos.

For the construction and maintenance of irrigation plants and systems in the provinces, subject to allotment, and regulation as to use of water and charge therefor, by the Secretary of Commerce and Police, two hundred and fifty thousand pesos: Provided, That this shall be a permanent reimbursable appropriation, fining, For the construction of walls on the south side of the Pasig River, one hundred and sixty-eight thousand four hundred and fifty pesos.

For filling behind Pasig River walls, twenty-six thousand seven hundred pesos.

For the construction of necessary buildings at the Alabang station of the Bureau of Agriculture, thirty-nine thousand one hundred pesos.

For the construction of necessary buildings at the Baguio station of the Bureau of Agriculture, eight thousand two hundred and fifty pesos.

For one construction of a stallion barn at the Trinidad stock farm of the Bureau of Agriculture, two thousand one hundred and twenty-nine pesos.

For the construction of a calf stable, extension of the vaccine stables, and for purchase and installation of producer plant for the Bureau of Science, thirteen thousand live hundred pesos, wharf.

For the roofing of two hundred feet of wharf at the Mariveles quarantine station, four thousand four hundred pesos.

For the construction of Constabulary barracks and quarters, to be allotted by the Secretary of Commerce and Police, one hundred thousand pesos.

For the construction of a fireproof vault in the Oriente Building.  Manila, ten thousand  four hundred pesos.

For the construction and restoration of buildings on "friar lands" estates for the Bureau of Lands, fourteen thousand five hundred pesos.

For construction and restoration of irrigation plants and systems and "friar lands" estates for the Bureau of Lands, forty-five thousand five hundred pesos.

For the construction and restoration of the irrigation plant at Bayonibong, Nueva Vizcaya: Provided, That under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce and Police, a sufficient charge shall be made for water to reimburse the Government on account of expenditures incurred in connection with this project; eleven thousand seven hundred and seventy-five pesos.

For the reconstruction and relocation of the Magallanes Monument, Manila, five thousand pesos.

For the improvement  of the Baguio town site, twenty thousand pesos.

For the construction of guards quarters at Bilibid Prison, Manila, twelve thousand pesos.

For the substitution of reenforced concrete in lieu of wooden floors, and otherwise substituting fire-resisting for inflammable construction in the Intendencia  Building, ten thousand pesos.

Artesian wells.—The provisions of Act Numbered Sixteen hundred and sixty-two under this head are hereby repealed, and the following substituted in lieu thereof: Provided, however, That the appropriation of thirty-seven thousand pesos made under this head by Act Numbered Sixteen hundred and sixty-two shall stand confirmed and not revoked nor repeated by this Act:

"There is hereby created under the foregoing designation a permanent reimbursable appropriation, to the credit of which shall be artesian wells-deposited the sum of thirty-seven thousand pesos hereby appropriated, together with receipts which may accrue from Insular Bureaus, provincial and municipal governments, and other sources mi account of services rendered and supplies furnished in sinking artesian wells and when required, equipping said wells with the necessary pumping machinery, storage tanks, and so forth, necessary to provide potable water or the protection, or both, when demanded by the public interest: Provided, That the selection of projects and determinination of rates to be charged shall be made by the Director of Public Works with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Police: And Provided further, That the rates charged shall not exceed such as may be necessary to reimburse this appropriation on account of expenses, exclusive of unsuccessful projects, the entire expense of which shall be reimbursed to this appropriation from the appropriations for current expenses of the Bureau of Public Works, which are hereby accordingly made available in such amount as may be necessary."

In all, for the Bureau of Public Works, two million eight hundred and forty-four thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine pesos.

The sum of three hundred and fifty thousand pesos is hereby made available from the appropriation "Bureau of Supply" for the construction of permanent Government store-houses at Manila.

BUREAU OF NAVIGATION.

To continue the work of placing riprap along the west breakwater at the port of Manila, as provided by Act Numbered Sixteen hundred and sixty-eight, twelve thousand two hundred and twenty-six pesos.

For the construction of a signal tower on Engineer Island, Manila, three thousand pesos.

For the construction of a second story on the building now occupied by the light-house division as a warehouse on Engineer Island, twenty-one thousand live hundred pesos; and an equal amount, or so much thereof as may be necessary, hereby made available for this project from any unexpended funds appropriated by Act Numbered Sixteen hundred and seventy-nine for current expenses of the Bureau of Navigation or any division thereof, in addition to the sum hereinbefore appropriated.

In all, for the Bureau of Navigation, thirty-six thousand seven hundred and twenty-six pesos.

BUREAU OF  EDUCATION.

For the construction of school buildings, except in the Moro Province, including quarters for teachers in districts inhabited by non-Christian tribes, to be allotted by the Secretary of Public Instruction: Provided, That upon recommendation of the Secretary of Public Instruction, the provisions of existing law requiring that construction be by contract, if practicable, may be waived by the Governor-General and any project in whole or in part be carried through b}r voluntary or other labor; three hundred and fifty thousand pesos.

PHILIPPINE  MEDICAL  SCHOOL.

For the construction of necessary buildings at Manila, two hundred and fifty thousand pesos.

For installation of gas plant at Manila, as authorized by a resolution of the Commission dated May eighteenth, nineteen hundred and seven, one thousand pesos.

In all, for the Philippine Medical School. Two hundred and fifty-one thousand pesos.

MISCELLANEOUS.

For expenditure under the direction, of the provincial board of La Laguna in the construction and improvement of the roads of said province, as authorized by a resolution of the Commission dated July thirteenth, nineteen hundred and seven, including the guarding, maintenance, and supervision of convict labor, twenty thousand pesos.

Transfer of funds The unexpended balance of funds appropriated by Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and seventy-nine for the extension of the stone causeway and construction of a new limber wharf at Puerto Princesa, equipment, and other property used in the construction oi a wharf at Puerto Princesa, are hereby transferred to the provincial  artesian well, government of Palawan, and made available for the sinking of an artesian well and such other public works projects as may be necessary and feasible.

Total of appropriations for all purposes, three million five hundred and two thousand six hundred and fifty-five pesos.
SEC. 2. The amounts herein or at any time hereafter appropriated out of Insular funds for provincial works or projects may, upon the direction of the Insular Auditor, lie paid into the treasury of the province for the benefit of which such appropriation, or any allotment out of any such appropriation, is made, upon warrant.  Such appropriation oi: allotment shall thereupon be disbursed by the treasurer of the province concerned as special provincial funds, under the control of the Chief of Bureau or Office for which the appropriation is made, and for the specific purpose set forth in such appropriation, upon vouchers approved by the Chief of Bureau or Office concerned, or by the duly authorized representative for such Chief.  The Auditor is hereby directed, upon the certificate of the Chief of Bureau or Office that the works or projects for which such appropriation or allotment was made have been completed and that all obligations arising thereunder have been paid, in cause in be refunded to the proper appropriation any unexpended balance remaining therein.  Any unexpended balance at any time remaining to the credit of previous Insular appropriations  works or projects shall be combined and consolidated  all subsequent Insular appropriations or allotments for  all  provincial fund or appropriation, and the preceding provisions of this section, regarding the manner of disbursing Insular appropriations for provincial works or projects, shall apply to such combined and consolidated appropriation or fund.

SEC. 3. All balances remaining unexpended when any public works or permanent improvements appropriated for by this Act are completed shall be returned at once to the Insular Treasury and shall not be available for withdrawal or disbursement thereafter but shall lie carried to the general revenues of the Islands.

SEC. 4. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this appropriation bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

Enacted, August 17 1907.