[ Act No. 3275, November 19, 1926 ]

AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE ONE OF CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO AND SECTION TWENTY- SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE RADIO CONTROL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, of the Philippines in Legislature assembled and by the authority of the same:

SECTION 1. Article  one of Chapter fifty-two of the Administrative Code is hereby amended by inserting between sections nineteen hundred and thirty and nineteen hundred and thirty one,  five new  sections which shall be known as sections nineteen hundred and thirty—A, nineteen hundred and thirty-B, nineteen  hundred  and  thirty-C, nineteen hundred and thirty-D, and nineteen hundred and thirty-E, and shall read as follows:

"SEC.  1930-A. Jurisdiction of the Department  of  Commerce and Communications.—The Secretary of Commerce and Communications is hereby empowered to regulate radio communication  by (1) all  shore stations within the  jurisdiction of the Government of the Philippine Islands and

(2) all radio stations on board of ships of  Philippine register:  Provided,  That radio stations owned by the United States Government and operated for government  purposes are hereby declared exempt from the provisions of this Act.

"SEC.  1930-B. The  Secretary of Commerce and Communications shall  have  technical and administrative charge and supervision of and be  responsible for  and pass upon everything  related  with  radio stations  and the activities specified  in section nineteen hundred and thirty-A of this Act and  shall among other powers and duties have the following:

"(a) To promulgate regulations governing radio communication,  including the establishment of radio  stations and services; the examination and licensing of operators; the assignment  of wave lengths and frequencies to the several stations  and services;  the classification of radio stations ; and the amendment of said regulations when necessary or  expeditious in order to comply  with international treaties or keep said regulations abreast of  the progress of radio  science, or to meet any circumstances or conditions that may arise.

"(b)  Make scientific researches in the field of radio communication; hold public  hearings or invite  interested persons to  make  recommendations;  recommend legislation; grant, disapprove, suspend, or revoke  station and operator licenses,  in accordance with the regulations; bring civil  or criminal  actions against  violators  of said regulations.

"(c) Prescribe  rules of procedure and, in general, perform such acts and duties as may be necessary for proper compliance with the provisions of this Act, irrespective of whether or not such  acts and duties are specifically mentioned herein.

"SEC.   1930-C. Adoption  and taking effect of the  regulations.—All regulations and amendments thereof promulgated by the Secretary of Commerce and Communications and approved  by the Governor-General shall take  effect thirty days after publication in the Official Gazette and shall have the effect of law.

"SEC.  1930-D. The expenses  incidental to the  duties prescribed in this Act, including manual labor in the application of the regulations, shall be born by the Office of the Secretary of Commerce and Communications, and the necessary funds therefor shall be included in the annual budget of said office.

"SEC. 1930-E.  No person, firm, corporation,  or company shall erect, install, or operate a commercial radio transmitting station without having first obtained a franchise from the Legislature: Provided, That amateur stations operated for purely experimental purposes and transmitting stations for private  use may be installed and operated subject to such rules and regulations as may be adopted and promulgated in  accordance with the provisions of this Act."

SEC. 2.  Section twenty-seven hundred and fifty-seven of the Administrative Code is hereby amended by  adding thereto two new paragraphs which  shall read as follows:

"(g) Any person who shall violate the provisions of the regulations for the control of radio  communication or any mandatory or  prohibitive provision of any international treaty or agreement  in  which  the Governments of  the United States or of the Philippine Islands have been,  are or may hereafter be  a party, or of  any international regulations promulgated in accordance with such treaty.

" (h) Any person who shall erect, install, or  operate a radio transmitting station in any place within  the  jurisdiction of the Philippine Islands or in its territorial waters or on board of any vessel of Philippine register,  without the proper license  or  in violation of the conditions established in such license."

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, November 19, 1926.