An Act Providing for an Appropriation of One Million Pesos for the Construction of Schools in the Barrios under Certain Conditions

December 20, 1907

ACT NO. 1801

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR AN APPROPRIATION OF ONE MILLION PESOS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS IN THE BARRIOS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS

SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the construction of schoolhouses of strong materials in the barrios, the sum of one million pesos, from which there shall be available for expenditure on the first day of January, nineteen hundred and eight, the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand pesos, and an additional two hundred and fifty thousand pesos shall likewise be available for expenditure on the first day of January of each of the three years immediately following thereafter, under the following conditions:

(a) All barrios belonging to a municipality that shall guarantee a daily attendance in their schools of not less than sixty pupils, duly certified to by the division superintendent of schools and by the supervising teacher of the schools of the municipality, shall have the right or option to participate in the funds appropriated by this Act for the purpose indicated: Provided, however, That the sum shall not exceed in each case four thousand pesos.

(b) The municipality, either by making an appropriation from its funds or by means of voluntary contributions of funds, materials, or labor, shall contribute a sum not less than fifty per centum of the total amount which may be granted in accordance with this Act, and shall forward the application of the municipal council through the provincial board to the Secretary of Public Instruction, who shall have charge of and approve the distribution of said funds.

(c) The buildings above mentioned shall be erected only upon lands of the exclusive ownership of the municipality, or which shall be donated for such end: Provided, however, That the title must be in each case registered in the Court of Land Registration, but the Secretary of Public Instruction may authorize the beginning of the construction work upon the filing of the application for registration in the said Court of Land Registration: And provided, further, That the drawing up of the plans and specifications and the execution of the work, and payment for the latter, shall be carried out in accordance with the laws and regulations now in force.

SECTION 2. All unexpended balance, after the completion of any of the works authorized by this Act, shall at once be covered into the Insular Treasury to the credit of this appropriation and shall not be withdrawn from it nor expended except for the purposes herein indicated.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, December 20, 1907.