Commonwealth Act No. 615, enacted on May 5, 1941, amends Sections 121 and 122 of the Public Land Act. It restricts corporations and partnerships from acquiring land granted under specific provisions without consent from the grantee and approval from the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, limiting such acquisitions to educational, religious, or charitable purposes. Furthermore, it prohibits the transfer or lease of land originally acquired under this Act to individuals if the total area exceeds 144 hectares, making any violations null and void. The amendments aim to safeguard land ownership and ensure that public lands are not improperly alienated.
May 5, 1941
COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 615
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE AND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO OF THE PUBLIC LAND ACT
Sections one hundred twenty-one and one hundred twenty-two of the Public Land Act are amended to read as follows: aHTDAc
"SEC. 121. Except with the consent of the grantee and the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, and solely for educational religious, or charitable purposes or for a right of way, no corporation, association, or partnership may acquire or have any right, title, interest, or property right whatsoever to any land granted under the free patent, homestead, or individual sale provisions of this Act or to any permanent improvement on such land.
"SEC. 122. No land originally acquired in any manner under the provisions of this Act, nor any permanent improvement on such land, shall be encumbered, alienated, or transferred, except to persons, corporations, associations, or partnerships who may acquire lands of the public domain under this Act or to corporations organized in the Philippines authorized therefor by their charters.
"Except in cases of hereditary succession, no land or any portion thereof originally acquired under the free patent, homestead, or individual sale provisions of this Act, or any permanent improvement on such land, shall be transferred or assigned to any individual, nor shall such land or any permanent improvement thereon be leased to such individual, when the area of said land, added to that of his own, shall exceed one hundred and forty-four hectares. Any transfer, assignment, or lease made in violation hereof shall be null and void."
SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: May 5, 1941