An Act to Amend Certain Provisions of the Administrative Code for the Purpose of Coordinating Certain Health Agencies in the Islands, and for Other Purposes

March 24, 1923

ACT NO. 3115

AN ACT TO AMEND CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE FOR THE PURPOSE OF COORDINATING CERTAIN HEALTH AGENCIES IN THE ISLANDS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Section nine hundred and sixty-nine of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 969. Promotion of surgeons. — A surgeon, passing the requisite examination, shall be entitled to promotion to the next higher grade after three years' service, and in making this computation time served in any medical capacity under the Government other than as interne shall be counted: Provided, however, That, in case of vacancy in the grade of senior surgeon, a surgeon upon passing the requisite examination, shall be entitled to promotion to the said grade after one year's continuous service in any branch of the Philippine Health Service, as provided for in the preceding section." caIACE

SECTION 2. Section one thousand and eight of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 1008. Sanitary inspectors. — Each municipality of a sanitary division shall have one or more sanitary inspectors, appointed by the municipal council concerned, on nomination by the district health officer: Provided, That in the selection of the health personnel, preference shall be given to persons who have taken the civil-service examination for sanitary inspector, to high school or at least intermediate school graduates, and to those who, in the judgment of said district health officer, have had sufficient experience in sanitation and hygiene. Appointments thus made shall be forwarded to the Director of Health and shall take effect immediately, until otherwise provided by said Director."

SECTION 3. Section one thousand twelve of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 1012. Health fund — How created and maintained. — Each municipality embraced in a sanitary division shall set aside each year an amount not less than five per centum from its general funds, and each provincial board shall likewise set aside a like amount from its general funds, which amount, added to that appropriated by the municipalities under its jurisdiction, shall constitute a special fund to be known as the health fund, which may not only be expended for purposes of sanitation, but also for provincial hospitals." aACEID

SECTION 4. Section twenty-one hundred and twenty of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2120. Estimate of revenues and receipts for current year. — Annual provincial budget. — Immediately upon receipt of the statement of receipts and expenditures from the provincial treasurer, the provincial board will make a careful estimate of the revenues and receipts for the current year. Upon the basis of such estimated income the provincial board will, likewise, make detailed appropriations covering the estimated expenditures for the year, but in no case shall such appropriations be in excess of the estimated revenues and receipts. The statement of receipts and expenditures for the preceding year, together with the estimates and appropriations by the provincial board for the current year, shall be known as the annual provincial budget. Changes in the estimates and appropriations may be made by the provincial board from time to time during the year by supplemental budgets: Provided, That no changes shall be made to appropriations made for health without first consulting the chief of the sanitary division."

SECTION 5. Section twenty-one hundred and ninety-nine of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2199. Appointment of subordinate officers and employees in general. — Except as otherwise provided, appointments to all non-elective positions in the municipal service shall be made by the municipal president by and with the consent of a majority of all the members of the council present. This requirement shall not, however, apply to the employment of laborers engaged for the performance of authorized work, nor to local employees or laborers whose duties are connected with health work and who shall be appointed by the chief local health officer, upon recommendation by the municipal president."

SECTION 6. Section twenty-two hundred and one of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2201. Supervisory authority of president over subordinates. — The president may at any time, for cause, suspend any nonelective officer or employee over whose position he has the power of appointment, for a period of not exceeding ten days, without pay, which suspension may be continued for a longer period by the council; and by and with the consent of a majority of all the members of the council he may discharge any such officer or employee.

"If a charge shall be brought in any court against any such subordinate for violating his official duty, the president shall have jurisdiction to suspend him, pending action on such violation by the municipal council; and, if a fine is imposed against such officer, it may be collected by withholding the requisite amount from such salary as is or may become due to him: Provided, That employees and laborers appointed by the chief local health officer as provided for in section twenty-one hundred and ninety-nine, shall not be removed by the chief local health officer without the approval of a majority of the municipal council concerned."

SECTION 7. Section twenty-two hundred and ninety-six of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2296. Annual budget. — Upon receiving this statement, the council shall make a careful estimate of the probable income of the municipality for the current year and upon this basis shall proceed to make, by way of appropriation, detailed allotments to the respective municipal requirements for the current year. The appropriation thus made by the council shall constitute the budget, and immediately upon passage it shall be submitted to the provincial treasurer for approval, accompanied by the statement of receipts and expenditures for the preceding year and the estimate made by the council for the current year. Prior to submission to the provincial treasurer, the allotment for school purposes shall receive the approval of the division superintendent of schools. ScTIAH

Upon approval by the provincial treasurer the budget shall become effective as a lawful appropriation, and the same shall be forthwith returned by him, with the accompanying documents, to the municipal treasurer, through the president.

"Changes in the estimates and allotments of the budget, as well as additions thereto, may in like manner be effected from time to time during the year by supplemental budgets. However, the allotments made for health work shall only be changed after previous consultation of the Director of Health." DACTSH

SECTION 8. Section twenty-three hundred of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2300. Disbursement of municipal funds. — Disbursements of municipal funds shall be made by the municipal treasurer upon properly executed vouchers, pursuant to the budget, and with the approval of the president. Vouchers covering disbursements from the school fund or for school purposes shall also be approved by the division superintendent of schools, or his authorized representative. Vouchers covering disbursements from the allotments for health work shall also be approved by the chief of the sanitary divisions, or his authorized representative.

"The municipal treasurer shall keep in his office, open at all times to the inspection of members of the municipal council, a statement of the appropriations, expenditures, and balances in all municipal accounts."

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, March 24, 1923.