Appropriation for Public Work Repairs and Relief to Victims of Calamities in June and July 1972

August 8, 1972

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6538

AN ACT APPROPRIATING THREE HUNDRED MILLION PESOS FOR EXPENDITURES OCCASIONED BY THE TYPHOONS, RAINS AND FLOODS IN THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND JULY, NINETEEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of three hundred million pesos to defray expenditures for repairs of public works damaged by and relief to indigent victims of, calamities which occurred in the Philippines in the months of June and July, 1972, for such items as food, medicines, shelter and clothing at not exceeding one hundred pesos per head of family and one hundred pesos for each dependent and assistance for the rehabilitation of small farms to be released and disbursed pursuant to the provisions of Section 7-1 (4) of Commonwealth Act No. 246, as amended, except appropriations for the Department of Social Welfare and for other national offices and agencies intended for relief and rehabilitation, with priority being given to victims of said calamities in Central Luzon, Manila and environs, for the foregoing purposes by the following departments in the amount indicated: casia

(a) P120,000,000 for the Department of Public Works and Communications with priority to dams, dikes, bridges and riprapping: Provided, That thirty million pesos shall be for the repair of streets and drainage facilities in the Greater Manila Area comprising the City of Manila, Caloocan City, Quezon City, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Pasay City: Provided, further, That not more than fifteen million pesos shall be allocated for the repair and reconstruction of projects in other municipalities or cities which have suffered destruction, losses and damages due to said typhoons, rains and floods: Provided, furthermore, That the amount appropriated herein shall be released, spent and actually disbursed within a period not later than March 31, 1973, and no funds herein appropriated shall be expended beyond March 31, 1973, any unexpended balance after March 31, 1973 whether obligated or not shall automatically revert to the General Fund, except those for on-going projects started before March 31, 1973, disbursements for which may be authorized until but not beyond June 30, 1973;

(b) P50,000,000 for the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the purchase of seedlings, fertilizers and other in-puts of production for the rehabilitation of farms damaged by floods, rains and typhoons: Provided, That P20,000,000 shall be set aside for seedlings and fertilizers and P30,000,000 for loans to farmers to be administered by the National Food and Agriculture Council ;

(c) P35,000,000 for the Department of Social Welfare;

(d) P40,000,000 for the Central Bank to be made available to the rural banks in the affected areas for loans and guarantees under such rules and regulations as the Central Bank may provide so as to channel the same to the greatest number of persons affected;

(e) P20,000,000 for the Department of Education to repair or replace books, school equipment, facilities and supplies, including school buildings, damaged or destroyed;

(f) P20,000,000 for the Department of Health; and

(g) P15,000,000 for the Presidential Assistant on Community Development, National Irrigation Administration, Agricultural Productivity Commission, Department of Agrarian Reform, NACIDA, and Philippine National Railways: Provided, That the amounts appropriated for relief and/or direct assistance under sub-items (c) Department of Social Welfare and (g) other national offices and agencies shall be released, spent and actually disbursed within a period not later than September 30, 1972.

SECTION 2. In the implementation of Section one, the following rules shall be observed:

(a) That the term "spent and actually disbursed" for the purposes of Section one refers to the movement of cash from the Government to the final recipient;

(b) That the relief extended with public funds or officially by government officials and personnel shall not bear any marking or identification attributing the same as coming from any public official or private individual;

(c) That not more than five per centum of the amount appropriated herein or the total released at any one time shall be utilized for the payment of personal services, and administrative and other operational expenses; and acd

(d) That the Government officials and personnel concerned shall extend relief as equitably and as fast as possible directly to the calamity victims based on their need and the resources available at a given time, without regard for political, religious, social or other consideration.

SECTION 3. The heads of the government offices and agencies implementing this Act shall submit a report within the first ten days of every month on funds released to their offices and agencies under this Act and within fifteen days from the end of every quarter another report on the progress or status of the work prosecuted by them thereunder during the preceding quarter, including therein all relevant data, to the Joint Senate-House of Representatives Committee, herein created to watch over the disbursement and use of the funds herein appropriated. The Joint Committee shall be composed of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, as Co-Chairman, the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House, as Co-Chairman, and two Members of each House, one of whom shall represent the Minority from each House, to be designated by the presiding officers of each House, respectively. The Joint Committee shall scrutinize the report and take such measures as it may deem appropriate to protect the public interest in relation to the disbursement and expenditures of the funds herein appropriated, including the taking of necessary measures for the prosecution of parties responsible for the violation of the provisions hereof: Provided, however, That any head, chief or employee of any office, bureau, or agency concerned in the implementation of this Act who may be found to have violated the provisions of this Act shall be criminally liable, subject to the provisions of the Penal Code but where the violation is not covered by the Penal Code, then the guilty party shall be subject to a penalty of a fine of one thousand pesos and imprisonment of not less than six (6) months or more than one (1) year without prejudice to administrative action. cd

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: August 8, 1972

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 68, No. 48, p. 9265 on November 27, 1972