[No. 1633.] AN ACT Separating from the municipality of Vigan, Province of Ilocos Sur, the former municipality of Santa Catalina, reëstablishing it as a new municipality and giving it the territory of which it was constituted prior to the passage of Act Numbered Nine hundred and thirty-four. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The former municipality of Santa Catalina, now a part of the municipality of Vigan, in the Province of Ilocos Sur, as established by Act Numbered Nine hundred and thirty-four, entitled "An Act reducing the twenty-four municipalities of the Province of Ilocos Sur to fourteen," shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, be separated from the present municipality of Vigan and reëstablished as a new municipality, which shall consist of the territory of which it was constituted prior to the passage of said Act Numbered Nine hundred and thirty-four. SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on August tenth, nineteen hundred and seven: Provided, That the distribution of funds in the municipal treasury of Vigan, resulting from the separation from Vigan of the former municipality of Santa Catalina, shall be made as of the date of the passage of this Act. Enacted, April 26, 1907. [No. 1634.] AN ACT Providing that municipal and township privileges shall be let annually or for a longer period, not exceeding five years, to the highest and best bidders under certain conditions. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The privilege of each fishery, and the right to operate each fish-breeding ground, ferry, stable, market, and slaughterhouse belonging to any municipality or township in the Philippine Islands shall hereafter be let separately to the highest and best bidder annually or for such longer period, not exceeding five years, as may be previously approved by the provincial board of the province in which the municipality or township is located, unless otherwise directed by the Governor-General in the case of a municipality, or the Secretary of the Interior in the case of a township, and under conditions to be prescribed, respectively, by said officers. The right shall be reserved by the municipalities and townships to reject any or all bids, and the maximum charges, rents, or fees which may be exacted by the lessees of ferries, stables, markets, and slaughterhouses shall be fixed by the municipalities and townships in advance and be stated in all proposals for bids. The decision of any municipality or township rejecting any bid or bids, or awarding any such privilege, shall be subject to a final appeal to the provincial board: Provided, That in the case of a township the decision of the provincial board shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. SEC. 2. All laws, regulations, and orders heretofore issued are here by repealed in so far as the same are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect on May thirty-first, nineteen hundred and seven. Enacted, April 26, 1907. [No. 1635.] AN ACT To amend Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and eighteen, providing for a loan of thirty-five thousand pesos to the Province of Albay, by increasing the amount of said loan to sixty thousand pesos, and extending the time of repayment thereof. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and eighteen, entitled "An Act providing for a loan of thirty-five thousand pesos to the Province of Albay," is hereby amended as follows: (a) By striking out section one of said Act and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of sixty thousand pesos, to be loaned to the Province of Albay and to be expended by the provincial board of that province in altering, repairing, and making additions to the building at present occupied by the provincial government for the use of the provincial offices and Court of First Instance, such alterations, repairs, and additions to be made in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the Insular Architect." (b) By striking out section two of said Act and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "SEC. 2. The money appropriated by section one hereof shall be paid to the treasurer of the Province of Albay upon the production by him to the Treasurer of the Philippine Islands of a certified copy of a resolution by the provincial board of said province accepting said loan and agreeing to repay the same without interest in six installments, ten thousand pesos on or before January first, nineteen hundred and eight, and ten thousand pesos each year thereafter until the total amount of said loan has been repaid." SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1636.] AN ACT To aid commercial interests by providing ways and means for the transmission of money within the islands through the sale of demand drafts and telegraphic transfers by the Insular Treasurer and provincial treasurers. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The Insular Treasurer is hereby authorized to exchange for Philippine currency offered in sums of not less than five hundred pesos, demand drafts and telegraphic transfers upon funds in the hands of provincial treasurers when same can be done without embarrassment to the provincial treasury and the amount so received shall be placed to the credit of such provincial treasurer on the books of the Insular Treasurer. SEC. 2. Provincial treasurers are hereby authorized to exchange for Philippine currency offered in sums of not less than five hundred pesos, demand drafts and telegraphic transfers upon funds to the credit of the province with the Insular Treasury. SEC. 3. Subject to regulations prescribed by the Insular Treasurer, any provincial treasurer is hereby authorized to exchange for Philippine currency offered in sums of not less than five hundred pesos, demand drafts and telegraphic transfers upon another provincial treasurer when same can be done without embarrassment to the provincial treasury upon which such drafts or transfers are drawn. SEC. 4. For any exchange issued in accordance with this Act a premium, to be fixed and promulgated from time to time by the Secretary of Finance and Justice, shall be charged, and the distribution of such premium shall be made in accordance with the regulations of the Insular Treasurer with the approval of the Secretary of Finance and Justice. SEC. 5. The Insular Treasurer is hereby authorized to prescribe and issue the necessary regulations, forms of applications and drafts, and a telegraphic code for the carrying of this law into effect. The cost of special printing and transporting currency to meet the requirements of this Act shall be borne by the gold-standard fund. The cost of postage, telegrams, and all other charges incident to the operation of this Act shall be a charge against the funds appropriated for the current expenses of the office making the expenditure or against the gold-standard fund, as may be determined by the Insular Treasurer with the approval of the Secretary of Finance and Justice. There are hereby appropriated out of said gold-standard fund such sums as may be necessary to pay the expenses chargeable against said fund under the provisions of this section, and such appropriation shall be a permanent annual appropriation. SEC. 6. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1637.] AN ACT Providing for loans of sixty thousand pesos, seventy-five thousand pesos, and sixty thousand pesos to the Provinces of Tayabas, Rizal, and La Laguna, respectively, for the construction of provincial government buildings. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sums of sixty thousand pesos, seventy-five thousand pesos, and sixty thousand pesos to be loaned to the Provinces of Tayabas, Rizal, and La Laguna, respectively. SEC. 2. The money appropriated in section one of this Act shall in each case be paid to the treasurer of the province for which appropriated upon the production and delivery by him to the Insular Treasurer of a certified copy of a resolution of the provincial board of his province accepting the loan hereinbefore authorized and agreeing to repay the same, without interest, in annual installments of onetenth of the total amount, the first installment to be paid on or before September first, nineteen hundred and eight. SEC. 3. The money hereby appropriated shall be used in the construction of provincial government buildings, and for no other purpose, and shall be expended under the direction of the provincial boards of said provinces: Provided, That the plans and specifications for the construction of said buildings shall be prepared by the Consulting Architect. SEC. 4. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1638.] AN ACT Providing for the retirement of officers and enlisted men of the Philippines Constabulary on part pay after twenty or more years of satisfactory service, and amending Act Numbered Six hundred and nineteen. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. When an officer of the Philippines Constabulary shall have had twenty or more years of continuous, actual, and satisfactory service, he may, upon making application therefor, be retired from active service by the Governor-General, and when so retired he shall receive until his death an annual compensation equal to two and one-half per centum, for each year's active service theretofore rendered by him, of the total current pay received annually by him at the time he is retired. When an enlisted man shall have had twenty or more years of continuous, actual, and satisfactory service he may, upon making application therefor, be retired from active service by the Governor-General, and when so retired shall receive until his death an annual compensation equal to two and one-half per centum, for each year's active service theretofore rendered by him, of the total current pay and allowances received annually by him at the time he is retired: Provided, That the service of any officer or enlisted man shall be considered continuous if he be not separated from the service at any time for a longer period than one year: And provided further, That no officer shall receive an annual compensation equivalent to more than seventy-five per centum of the total current pay received by him at the time he is retired, and that no enlisted man shall receive an annual compensation equivalent to more than seventy-five per centum of the pay and allowances received by him. at the time he is retired: And provided further, That the Government of the Philippine Islands shall not be responsible for any compensation or allowance provided by this Act to be paid to any officer or enlisted man of the Philippines Constabulary: And provided further, That the amount required to be paid by section fourteen of Act Numbered Six hundred and nineteen, as amended by Act Numbered Eight hundred and eighty-four, shall constitute a first lien on the "Pension and retirement fund of the Philippines Constabulary," mentioned in section three hereof, and shall be paid before any payment is made in accordance with this section. SEC. 2. All officers and enlisted men of the Constabulary drawing pensions or retirement pay and residing in the Philippine Islands may at any time be called by the Governor-General for active service, during the period of which service they shall be entitled to receive the full pay of their rank or grade. Refusal on the part of any officer or enlisted man to perform such duty shall terminate his right to further participation in the benefit of this fund, provided he is physically fit for service, such fitness to be determined under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce and Police. SEC. 3. The fund created by section eleven of Act Numbered Six hundred and nineteen and the fund created by section fourteen of the said Act, are hereby consolidated into one fund, to be known as the "Pension and retirement fund of the Philippines Constabulary," and made available for the purposes of this Act as set forth in section one: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so interpreted as to repeal those provisions contained in section fourteen of the above-mentioned Act relating to the pensioning for disability of members of the Constabulary: And provided further, That section fourteen of Act Numbered Six hundred and nineteen, as amended, is hereby further amended by adding after the words "The following amounts shall be deducted and retained from the monthly pay of members of the Constabulary" and before the words "From the monthly pay of each captain and inspector, one dollar " the following words: "From the monthly pay of each colonel, three pesos and fifty centavos. "From the monthly pay of each lieutenant-colonel, three pesos. "From the monthly pay of each major, two pesos and fifty centavos." SEC. 4. The investment of the "Pension and retirement fund of the Philippines Constabulary" provided for in section three of this Act shall be in charge of the Postal Savings Bank Investment Board provided for in section eighteen (a) of Act Numbered Fourteen hun |