Charter of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines

May 26, 1940

COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 542

AN ACT TO CREATE A CORPORATION TO BE KNOWN AS THE GIRL SCOUTS OF THE PHILIPPINES, AND TO DEFINE ITS POWERS AND PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Concepcion R. Gonzalez, Trinidad F. Legarda, Emilia Q. Lim, Concepcion M. Gil, Marina Y. Vargas, Pilar Hidalgo Lim, Josefa Llanes Escoda, Helena Z. Benitez, Maria Aurora Quezon, Lulu Reyes, Lily de las Alas, Leni Alano, Erlinda Kalaw, Betty Magalona, Lourdes Ledesma, Minerva G. Laudico, all of Manila, Philippines, their associates and successors, are created a body corporate, under the control, direction, and supervision of the Commissioner on Health and Public Welfare, by the name, style, and title of "Girl Scouts of the Philippines" (hereinafter called the corporation). The principal office of the corporation shall be in the City of Manila, Philippines. cTSHaE

SECTION 2. The said corporation shall have perpetual succession, with power to sue and be sued; to hold such real and personal estate as shall be necessary for corporate purposes, and to receive real and personal property by gift, devise, or bequest; to adopt a seal; to have offices and conduct its business and affairs in the City of Manila and in the several provinces, cities, municipalities, and barrios of the Philippines; to make and adopt by-laws, which shall be submitted to the approval of the Commissioner on Health and Public Welfare, and generally to do all such acts and things (including the establishment of regulations for the election of associates and successors) as may be necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this Act and promote the purposes of said corporation.

SECTION 3. The purposes of this organization is to help girls from seven to eighteen years of age to realize the ideals of womanhood, as a preparation for their responsibilities in the home and service to the community and in the realization of this purpose the corporation shall be the directing and coordinating head of the Girl Scout Movement in the Philippines, and shall fix and maintain standards for the movement which will inspire the rising generation with the highest ideals of citizenship, character, conduct, and attainment.

SECTION 4. The Girl Scout Corporation is non-sectarian and non-political but its units shall willingly cooperate with educational and other groups whose ideals and procedure are in accord with those conferred or authorized by this Act.

SECTION 5. The governing body of the said corporation shall consist of an executive board composed of residents of the Philippines. The number, qualifications, and terms of office of members of the executive board shall be prescribed by the by-laws. The persons mentioned in section one of this Act shall constitute the first executive board and shall serve until their successors are elected and have qualified. Vacancies in the executive board shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members thereof. The by-laws may prescribe the number of members of the executive board necessary to constitute a quorum of the board, which number may be less than a majority of the whole number of the board. The executive board shall have power to make and to amend the by-laws, and, by a two-thirds vote of the whole board at a meeting called for this purpose, may authorize and cause to be executed mortgages and liens upon the property of the corporation. The executive board may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole board, designate three or more of their number to constitute an executive or governing committee, of which a majority shall constitute a quorum, which committee, to the extent provided in said resolution or in the by-laws of the corporation, shall have and exercise the powers of the executive board in the management of the business affairs of the corporation, and may have power to authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it. The executive board, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole board, may appoint any other standing committees, and such standing committees shall have and may exercise such powers as shall be conferred or authorized by the by-laws. With the consent in writing and pursuant to an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of said corporation, the executive board shall have authority to dispose in any manner of the whole property of the corporation.

SECTION 6. An annual meeting of the incorporators and their associates, shall be held once in every year after the year of incorporation, at such time and place as shall be prescribed in the by-laws, for the purpose of making reports and transacting such other business as may come before the meeting. Special meetings of the corporation may be called upon such notice as may be prescribed in the by-laws. The number of members which shall constitute a quorum at any annual or special meeting shall be prescribed in the by-laws. The members and executive board shall have power to hold their meetings and keep the seals, books, documents, and papers of the corporation within or without the City of Manila. CETDHA

SECTION 7. The corporation created by this Act shall adopt distinctive badges, uniforms, and insignia and shall be made available to and used only by registered Girl Scouts or officials who have satisfactorily complied with the international requirements prescribed by the World Bureau of this movement and which the Girl Scouts of the Philippines shall use in carrying out its program in accordance with the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 8. Any donation or contribution which from time to time may be made to the Girl Scouts of the Philippines by the Government or any of its subdivisions, branches, offices, agencies or instrumentalities shall be expended by the executive board in pursuance of this Act.

SECTION 9. On or before the first day of April of each year, the said corporation shall make and transmit to the President of the Philippines a report of its proceedings for the year ending December thirty-first preceding, including a full, complete, and itemized report of receipts and expenditures of whatever kind.

SECTION 10. From and after the passage of this Act, it shall be unlawful for any person within the jurisdiction of the Philippines to falsely and fraudulently call himself out as, or represent himself to be, a member of, or an agent for, the Girl Scouts of the Philippines; and any person who violates any of the provisions of this Act shall be punished by imprisonment of not to exceed six months or a fine not exceeding five hundred pesos, or both, in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 11. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: May 26, 1940.