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.  Section thirteen hundred  and  sixteen of Act Numbered Twenty-seven hundred and eleven, known  as  the Administrative Code, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 1316. Delivery of merchandise without production of bill of lading.—No collector of  customs in any port of entry in the Philippine Islands other  than Manila shall deliver  imported merchandise to any person without the surrender by such person of the bill of lading covering said merchandise, except on written order of the carrier or agent of the importing vessel, in which case neither the Government of the Philippine Islands nor the collector of customs shall be held responsible for any damages arising from wrongful  delivery of the  merchandise: Provided, however, That where delivery of merchandise is  made against such written order of the carrier  or agent of the  vessel, the collector of  customs may, for the  customs purposes, require the production of  an exact copy of the bill of lading therefor,  or the original bill of lading where entry of the merchandise  is made under  section twelve of the  Philippine Tariff Act of nineteen hundred and nine,  as  amended, and to that end may accept bond or bonds conditioned for the subsequent production of the proper document."

SEC. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, March 16, 1923.