By virtue of the powers vested in me by law and in order to supplement the provisions of Executive Order No. 299, dated August 19, 1940, and upon the recommendation of the National Social Security Administration, I, Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Philippines, do hereby promulgate the following rules and regulations governing the employment of common or semiskilled laborers in public works:

1. All departments, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities of the Government shall utilize the National Social Security Administration and its duly authorized agencies in the procurement of common and semiskilled labor for the execution of public works. In all cases when it is necessary to employ common and semiskilled labor preference shall be given to those who are registered with the said Administration and its agencies and have been issued certificates showing that they are in need of and fit for employment.

2. Officers and employees of the Government charged with the execution of public works projects shall give every common and semiskilled laborer who is in possession of a certificate as mentioned in paragraph 1 hereof equal opportunity for employment, regardless of his political affiliation, religious creed, social or family relation, or any material consideration. The criterion for employment shall only be fitness for and need of employment, and the availability of work.

3. In the City of Manila, all common and semiskilled laborers shall be secured from those in possession of certificates of registration issued by the National Social Security Administration; in the provinces and other chartered cities those having registration certificates issued by the local agencies of the National Social Security Administration.

4. To enable the National Social Security Administration and its agencies to fill requisitions for laborers, all requisitions should be filed with the local agency not less than five (5) days in advance of the late when the laborers are to report for assignment. All requisitions shall give the following information: (a) The number of laborers desired, (b) the nature and kind of work, (c) the date and place where they should report for duty, and (d) the name of the project.

5. Preference shall be given certified residents of any city or municipality for employment on projects in such city or municipality, and officers and employees having to do with the employment of common and semiskilled laborers shall not resort to the employment of nonresidents when there are resident common laborers available.

6. In localities where the applicants for work exceed the number that can be properly utilized, and in order to effect an equitable distribution of employment to as many needy unemployed as possible, the œrotation  system of employment shall be resorted to, whereby groups of laborers are employed in periods of fifteen days, and are then replaced by other groups after they have served their turn.

7. All officers and employees concerned are hereby enjoined to comply with the provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 303 by expediting the preparation of labor payrolls and making prompt payment of wages at the end of each quincena or period of employment on the site of the work and in no case to delay payment longer than two days after the end of such periods.

Done at the City of Manila, this 22nd day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the fifth.


By the President:

(Sgd.) JORGE B. VARGAS
Secretary to the President