Pursuant to the powers vested in me by Republic Act No. 422, I, Elpidio Quirino, President of the Philippines, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Rural Progress Administration created by Executive Order No. 191, dated March 2, 1939, pursuant to the provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 378, and converted into a corporation by Executive Order No. 206, dated May 31, 1939, pursuant to the provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 378, as amended by Commonwealth Acts Nos. 420 and 539 is hereby abolished, and its powers, duties and functions are hereby transferred to, vested in, and assumed by, the Bureau of Lands.

SEC. 2. There is hereby created in the Bureau of Lands a Division of Landed Estates to handle the various phases of the activities presently undertaken by the Rural Progress Administration. The Division of Landed Estates shall have the following positions and allotments for sundry expenses and special purposes in lieu of those provided for the Rural Progress Administration in its current principal budget:

DIVISION OF LANDED ESTATES

SALARIES AND WAGES

1. One chief of division	P6,000.00
2. One assistant	4,800.00
3. One clerk	2,760.00
4. One clerk	2,580.00
5. One clerk-stenographer	2,400.00
6. One clerk-typist	1,680.00
7. One messenger	1,200.00

Sales and Collection Section

8. One attorney	4,200.00
9. One attorney	3,120.00
10. One action clerk	2,160.00
11. Three inspector-collectors at P2,160	6,480.00
12. Three clerk-collectors at P2,160	6,480.00
13. One clerk-collector	1,800.00
14. One clerk-typist	1,680.00

Field Service Section

15. One surveyor	4,200.00
16. Two assistant surveyors at P2,160	4,320.00
17. One superintendent	3,960-00
18. Two superintendents at P3,120	6,240.00
19. Three agents at P2,580	P7,740.00
20. One draftsman	2,580.00
21. One computer	580.00
22. One clerk-typist	1,680.00
23. For temporary and emergency employees, including, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled laborers to be employed from time to time	25,000.00
Total for salaries and wages	P105,640.00

SUNDRY EXPENSES

1. Traveling expenses of personnel	P8,000.00
2. Freight, express and delivery service	1,000.00
3. Postal, telegraph, telephone, cable and radio service	1,500.00
4. Illumination and power service	500.00
5. Rental of buildings and grounds	3,000.00
6. Consumption of supplies and materials	6,000.00
7. Printing and binding reports, documents, pamphlets, etc:	2,000.00
8. Maintenance and repair of equipment	1,000.00
9. Maintenance and repair of buildings	3,000.00
10. Other services, including insurance premiums of buildings	9,500.00
11. Three per cent contribution of the Government for the employees ™ insurance premiums in the Government Service Insurance System	2,420.00
Total for sundry expenses	P37,920.00

SPECIAL PURPOSES

1. For reimbursement to the Budget Commission for the expenses of the accounting service=P22,620.00

(a) One accounting officer	P6,000.00
(b) One accountant	3,720.00
(c) One bookkeeper	2,580.00
(d) One clerk	1,920.00
(e) Four ledger clerks at P1,800	7,200.00
(f) One janitor messenger	1,200.00
Total	P22,620.00

2. For reimbursement to the General Auditing Office for the expenses of the auditing service	10,140.00
(a) One assistant auditor	P3,960.00
(b) One audit clerk	2,580.00
(c) One audit clerk	1,920.00
(d) One audit clerk	1,680.00
Total	P10,140.00

3. For the operation and maintenance of rice-mills, warehouses and threshing machines	24,000.00
(a) Buenavista Estate	P22,000.00
(b) Bahay Pare Estate	2,000.00
Total	P24,000.00

4. For expenses in the administration of the be Reverend Crisostomo Estate	P3,250.00
To be paid out of the Reverend Crisostomo Donation Fund	(3,250.00)

Salaries and Wages

(a) One clerk-collector	P1,800.00
Total for salaries and wages	P1,800.00

Sundry Expenses

(b) Traveling expenses of personnel	P600.00
(c) Freight, express and delivery service	50.00
(d) Postal, telegraph, telephone, cable and radio service	20.00
(e) Illumination and power service	60.00
(f) Rental of buildings	360.00
(g) Consumption of supplies and materials	200.00
(h) Other services	100.00
(i) Three per cent contribution of the Government for the employees ™ insurance premiums in the Government Service Insurance Syetem	60.00
Total for sundry expenses	P1,450.00
Total ?3,250.00
Total for special purposes	P56/760.00

SUMMARY

Total for salaries and wages	P105,640.00
Total for sundry expenses	37,920.00
Total for special purposes	56,760.00
Total	P200,320.00

SEC. 3. So much of the present personnel of the Rural Progress Administration as may be necessary and qualified shall be appointed in the Division of Landed Estates in accordance with the Civil Service Law, rules and regulations: PROVIDED, That any of the present personnel of the Administration not so appointed in the Division of Landed Estates, unless he refuses to serve if retained, shall be paid from the funds of the Administration herein transferred and available for the purpose, gratuity in a lump sum equivalent to one month salary for every year of continuous satisfactory service rendered but not exceeding 12 months, on the basis of the last salary received: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That any, official or employee who has rendered less than one year of service shall be entitled to a gratuity of one-half of one month ™s salary: AND PROVIDED, FINALLY, That in case of subsequent reinstatement in the government service or in any government-owned or controlled corporation, he shall refund to the National Government the value of the gratuity which he would not yet have received had it been paid to him in monthly installments.

SEC. 4. All the powers, duties and functions, records, properties, equipment, assets, rights, choses in action, obligations and liabilities of the Rural Progress Administration abolished under this Order are hereby transferred to, and assumed by, the Bureau of Lands.

SEC, 5. The proceeds from the sale of the estates heretofore administered by the Rural Progress Administration and any income derived from the administration of said estates shall constitute a special fund to be known as Landed Estates Fund which shall be used, subject to the provisions of section 7-1 (4) of Commonwealth Act No. 246, as amended, for operating expenses, for the settlement of the liabilities and obligations of the Rural Progress Administration and for the acquisition of private lands or any interest therein, through purchase or expropriation, . for subdivision into home lots or small farms for resale at reasonable prices and under such conditions as may be fixed by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources to their bona fide tenants or occupants or to private individuals who will work the lands themselves and who are qualified to acquire and own lands in the Philippines.

SEC. 6. Commonwealth Act No. 378, as amended by Commonwealth Acts Nos. 420 and 539, and all acts or parts of acts and executive orders, administrative orders or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 28th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the fifth.


By the President:
(SGD.) TEODORO EVANGELISTA
Executive Secretary