An Act to Provide for The Relief of The Invalids of The Philippine Revolutions or Wars, Appropriating Funds for This Purpose, and for Other Purposes

February 23, 1918

ACT NO. 2756

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE RELIEF OF THE INVALIDS OF THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTIONS OR WARS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. For the purposes of this Act, an invalid of the Philippine revolutions shall only be he who, having fought loyally, bravely, and disinterestedly for the cause of his country in the past revolutions or wars and having conducted himself well during said revolutions or wars, has become physically or mentally disabled for any occupation, work, or employment through wounds received or permanent illness contracted in the service, and is without sufficient means to support himself and his family, and who has applied for registration in the record of invalids to the Joint Committee created by Concurrent Resolution Numbered Eight of the Philippine Legislature, adopted on February eighth, nineteen hundred and seventeen.

SECTION 2. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior to decide whether or not a person is an invalid within the meaning of this Act, taking into consideration the record of such person prepared by the Joint Committee of the Legislature above referred to, and of the investigations made by the same and its several subcommittees, for which purpose, as soon as this Act takes effect, the personal records of all applicants for registration in the record of invalids shall be transferred to the office of the Secretary of the Interior.

SECTION 3. Any applicant declared an invalid shall be entitled to a pension which shall be paid monthly, at the end of each month, in the following form:

Fifteen pesos monthly to those who have a wife or children dependent upon them; ten pesos monthly to those who have not any: Provided, That any invalid adjudged to be entitled to a pension may, should he so prefer, waive the same and enter any of the invalid homes the establishment whereof is provided for in this Act: Provided,however, That the Secretary of the Interior may, in his discretion, suspend or withdraw the payment of a pension or any part thereof.

SECTION 4. The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to gather, care for, and assist such invalids of the past revolutions as may desire it, and for this purpose he may establish, equip, and manage at suitable places invalid homes wherein to gather, care for, and maintain the same and give them the necessary assistance and attendance.

SECTION 5. The Secretary of the Interior shall exercise complete control over the invalid homes established in accordance with the provisions of this Act and is empowered to regulate their interior administration. He may receive donations of any kind to aid the invalids of the Philippine revolutions and may dispose thereof for the purposes of this Act, and, generally, he shall exercise all other powers and issue all regulations necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Act in the best manner.

SECTION 6. The Secretary of the Interior shall include each year in the estimates of his Department the necessary appropriation for the relief of the invalids of the Philippine revolutions as provided for in this Act, and shall report to the Legislature, at the beginning of each session thereof, the receipts from donations and other sources, the expenses and disbursements incurred and made, and the work performed by him in compliance with this Act.

SECTION 7. The sum of fifty thousand pesos, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to carry out the purposes of this Act. This sum shall be expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, and any part thereof remaining unexpended at the end of the year nineteen hundred and eighteen shall revert to the general unappropriated funds in the Insular Treasury.

Approved: February 23, 1918.