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 one of Act Numbered Twenty-seven hundred and twenty-two, as amended by Act Numbered Thirty-one hundred and eighteen, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. The Governor-General is hereby authorized and empowered to set aside five thousand two hundred and ninety-six hectares of land pertaining to the public domain within the Sulu Archipelago, Basilan and adjacent islands, and grant the title thereto in fee simple, subject to the condition hereinafter stated, to Hadji Mohammad Jamalul Kiram, Sultan of Sulu, Datu Rajamuda Muhallil Wasit, Dayang-Dayang Hadji Piandau, Tarhata Atik Kiram, Emme Atik Kiram, Hadji Butu and Hadji Panglima Tahil, in the following proportions: Hadji Mohammad Jamalul Kiram, Sultan of Sulu, shall receive one thousand twenty-four hectares; Datu Rajamuda Muhallil Wasit, one thousand twenty-four hectares; Dayang-Dayang Hadji Piandau, one thousand twenty-four hectares; Tarhata Atik Kiram, five hundred twelve hectares; Emme Atik Kiram, five hundred twelve hectares; Hadji Butu, eight hundred hectares; and Hadji Panglima Tahil, four hundred hectares: Provided, That in order that this Act may take effect, it is necessary that the grantees herein named, their heirs and assigns mt sign an instrument relinquishing all existing and future claims against the Government of the Philippine Islands: Provided, further, That the said grantees, their heirs and assigns shall not, for a period of twenty years from the approval of this Act, alienate the land herein granted in whole or in part, nor shall they encumber the same within said period of twenty years, unless the encumbered portion is not in excess of fifty per centum of the land granted to them under this Act and the approval of the Secretary of the Interior has been previously obtained in each case."

SEC. 2. The land granted under this Act shall not be subject to taxation so long as it is not cultivated and improvements are not made on the same: Provided, however, That any encumbered portion of the land so granted shall be subject to taxation, regardless of whether or not there are improvements on the same.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on the date of the proclamation of the Governor-General announcing its approval by the President of the United States.^[1]

Approved, January 12, 1928.

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^[1] Declared in force by Proclamation No. 149 (1928). See Appendix.