An Act Establishing the Position of Consulting Architect and Defining His Duties, and for Other Purposes

May 26, 1906

ACT NO. 1495

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE POSITION OF CONSULTING ARCHITECT AND DEFINING HIS DUTIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. The position of Consulting Architect is hereby created in the Department of Commerce and Police. The incumbent shall be appointed by the Governor-General, by and with the consent of the Philippine Commission, and shall be paid at the rate of twelve thousand pesos per annum.

SECTION 2. It shall be the duty of the Consulting Architect to advise the Governor-General, the Philippine Commission, the Director of Public Works, and the Municipal Board of the city of Manila on all matters pertaining to the architectural features of construction, repair, or alteration of a material nature of public buildings and monuments of a permanent character, including the treatment, of the city, walls, approaches thereto, the moats and the area between said moats and the boundary, streets of Intramuros, and to perform such other work as may be directed by the Secretary of Commerce and Police. In case the Consulting Architect and the Municipal Board shall fail to agree on the treatment of the walls and moats and surrounding parks the questions at issue shall be referred to the Governor-General for final decision. He shall prepare plans, specifications, estimates, and other information for, public buildings or works of a permanent character for the Insular Government, the Director of Public Works, and the city of Manila, upon request: PROVIDED, That when public competition for building plans shall be held he shall make such restrictions, subject to the approval of the Governor-General, as he may deem advisable concerning the general type and style of building to conform to the development of the group of public buildings in the particular locality in question, which restrictions shall be duly set forth in the advertisement. He shall exercise general supervision over the architectural features of government constructions and of the landscape gardening of public places of recognized prominence. For the purpose of this Act the word "government" shall be construed to mean Insular, provincial, and municipal governments of the Philippine Islands. He shall be charged with the interpretation of the Burnham plans and the preparation of details where architectural effect or monumental features are involved.

SECTION 3. The Consulting Architect shall have an office in the city of Manila designated for his use by the Director of Public Works, and shall report to the Secretary of Commerce and Police, except as may herein otherwise be provided. The engineers, draftsmen, stenographers, and office force necessary for the proper conduct of his office shall be assigned to him by the Director of Public Works and shall be paid from the appropriation of the Bureau of Public Works.

SECTION 4. The general plan prepared by D.H. Burnham, commonly known as the Burnham plan for the improvement of the city of Manila, and the Burnham plan for the improvement of Baguio, are hereby adopted as bases for the future development of the said places.

SECTION 5. The Consulting Architect is hereby permitted to engage in private work and to receive compensation therefor, provided the same does not interfere with the discharge of his official duties. Such permission, however, shall not prejudice the right of the Government to call upon him for overtime or holiday work without additional compensation, should necessity arise.

SECTION 6. It shall be the duty of the Municipal Board of the city of Manila, before expending any appropriation for the construction of buildings or architectural works of a permanent character or for repairs or alterations which materially affect the architectural appearance of buildings of a permanent character or of any construction involving a modification of the Burnham plans, including the laying out or alteration of public streets and parks, to request the written opinion and recommendation of the Consulting Architect.

SECTION 7. 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.

SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, May 26, 1906.