Amendments to Act No. 3846 (Regulation of Radio Stations and Radio Communications)

September 18, 1950

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 584

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT NUMBERED THIRTY-EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX BY ADDING A NEW SECTION BETWEEN SECTIONS ONE AND TWO THEREOF AND TO AMEND SECTIONS THREE, TWELVE AND THIRTEEN OF THE SAME ACT

SECTION 1. A new section is hereby inserted between sections one and two of Act Numbered Thirty-eight hundred and forty-six, as amended, to read as follows:

"Sec. 1-A. No person, firm, company, association or corporation shall possess or own radio transmitters or transceivers (combination transmitter receiver), without registering the same with the Secretary of Commerce and Industry, nor sell or transfer the same to another without his prior approval, and no person, firm, company, association or corporation shall construct or manufacture, or purchase radio transmitters or transceivers without a permit issued by the Secretary of Commerce and Industry."

SECTION 2. Sections three, twelve, as amended, and thirteen of the same Act are hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 3. The Secretary of Commerce and Industry is hereby empowered to regulate the construction or manufacture, possession, control, sale and transfer of radio transmitters or transceivers (combination transmitter receiver) and the establishment, use and operation of all radio stations and of all forms of radio communications and transmissions within the Philippines. In addition to the above, he shall have the following specific powers and duties:

"(a) He shall prescribe rules and regulations covering the construction and manufacture, possession, purchase, sale or transfer of radio transmitters or transceivers;

"(b) He shall classify radio stations and prescribe the nature of the services to be rendered by each class and by each station within any class;

"(c) He shall assign call letters and assign frequencies for each station licensed by him and for each station established by virtue of a franchise granted by the Congress of the Philippines and specify the stations to which each of such frequencies may be used; acd

"(d) He shall promulgate rules and regulations to prevent and eliminate interference between stations and carry out the provisions of this Act and the provisions of the International Radio Regulations: Provided, however, That changes in the frequencies or in the authorized power, or in the character of emitted signals, or in the type of the power supply, or in the hours of operations of any licensed station, shall not be made without first giving the station licensee a hearing;

"(e) He may establish areas or zones to be served by any station;

"(f) He may promulgate rules and regulations applicable to radio stations engaging in chain broadcasting;

"(g) He may promulgate rules and regulations requiring stations to keep record of traffic handled, distress frequency watches, programs, transmission of energy, communications or signs;

"(h) He may conduct such investigations as may be necessary in connection with radio matters and hold hearings; summon witnesses, administer oaths and compel the production of books, logs, documents, and papers, and he may examine the books or persons, companies or associations engaged in the construction or manufacture of radio transmitters or transceivers, or of merchants dealing in the purchase and sale of radio equipment;

"(i) He may prescribe rules and regulations to be observed by radio training schools; he may supervise the course and method of instruction therein; and he may refuse to admit to examinations for radio operator's licenses graduates of radio schools not complying with the regulations;

"(j) He shall prescribe rates of charges to be paid to the Government for the inspection of stations, for the licensing of stations, for the examination of operators, for the licensing of operators, for the renewal of station or operator license, and for other services as may be rendered;

"(k) He is hereby empowered to approve or to disapprove any application for the construction, installation, establishment or operation of a radio station;

"(l) He may approve or disapprove any application for renewal of station or operator license: Provided, however, That no application for renewal shall be disapproved without giving the licensee a hearing; casia

"(m) He may, at his discretion, bring criminal action against violators of the radio laws or the regulations and confiscate the radio apparatus in case of illegal operation; or simply suspend or revoke the offender's station or operator licenses or refuse to renew such licenses; or just reprimand and warn the offenders;

"(n) The location of any station and the power and kind or type of apparatus to be used shall be subject to his approval;

"(o) He shall prescribe rules and regulations to be observed by stations for the handling of SOS messages and distress trafficks: Provided, That such rules and regulations shall not conflict with the provisions of the International Radio Regulations.

"Sec. 12. Any person who shall violate any provision of this Act, or any regulation prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce and Industry under this Act, or of any provision of the International Radio Regulations, shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand pesos or by imprisonment of not more than two years, for each and every offense, or both, in the discretion of the court.

"Sec. 13. Any firm, company, corporation or association failing or refusing to observe or violating any provision of this Act, or any provision of the Regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce and Industry under this Act, or any provision of the International Radio Regulations shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand pesos for each and every offense." casia

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: September 18, 1950

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 47, No. 1, p. 42 in January 1951