Creation of Hundred Islands Conservation and Development Authority

June 22, 1963

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3655

AN ACT TO CREATE THE HUNDRED ISLANDS CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, DEFINING ITS POWERS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. There is hereby created a Hundred Islands Conservation and Development Authority for the following purposes:

a. To conserve and enrich the natural resources of the Hundred Islands National Park and its surrounding waters, specially Lucap Bay and its foreshore areas;

b. To perpetuate and beautify the unique physical, historical and cultural attractions of the area;

c. To develop the region and the land and waters immediately surrounding the area to make them not only sources of new wealth but also enjoyable sights and resorts; and

d. To provide facilities, conveniences and services as will make the lake area easily accessible and thoroughly enjoyable to the public.

SECTION 2. The governing body of the Hundred Islands Conservation and Development Authority shall be composed of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, as chairman, and the Fisheries Commissioner, Director of Plant Industry, and the District Engineer of Pangasinan, as members, who shall at the same time serve as Directors of the Park Resources Conservation, Horticulture and Development, respectively. This body shall be entrusted with the administration of the domain of the Authority and empowered to appoint its staff and personnel as well as to provide its own rules for the conduct of its business. cd

SECTION 3. In order to carry out the purposes of this Act, the Hundred Islands Conservation and Development Authority shall:

a. Prepare and execute a program of conservation and development which shall apply to the entire area, including Lucap Bay, a strip of fifty meters of foreshore land immediately lining the shores of all the islands and the said Bay;

b. Determine and mark out the specific places and points it deems necessary for special improvement;

c. Acquire and maintain or lease for operation under such terms as it shall fix, any portion of the foreshore lands or of any of the islands for conservation, development, resort or amusement purposes, which shall be under its exclusive authority and control; and

d. Promulgate rules to govern conservation, development and exploitation of the resources of the foreshore area and the operation and maintenance of improvements and facilities therein including those regulating constructions and installations, said rules to have priority to and to prevail over those now existing or hereafter provided under municipal or provincial authority.

SECTION 4. The sum of five hundred thousand pesos is hereby appropriated, out of the funds of the National Treasury for the use of the Hundred Islands Conservations and Development Authority, which shall be made available in fiscal year nineteen hundred sixty-three-nineteen hundred sixty-four: Provided, however, That not more than two hundred thousand pesos thereof shall be used to asphalt portions of the Tarlac-Pangasinan and the Pangasinan-Zambales Roads, including the Poblacion-Lucap Road leading to Lucap, Alaminos. The same amount shall be appropriated for the same purposes every year during the next succeeding three years. The initial sum may be advanced from any immediately disposable fund of the government to be replaced as soon as the appropriation provided for in this Act is available.

As soon as the Hundred Islands Conservation and Development Authority begins to derive any revenue out of any improvements, establishments or services that it provides or authorizes to operate, such revenue shall be divided as follows: fifty per cent for its own work of maintenance, conservation and development; twenty-five per cent for the provincial government of Pangasinan and the other twenty-five per cent to be distributed among the municipalities bordering the foreshore area in proportion to the length of their respective shorelines included in the area placed under the Authority's jurisdiction. aisa dc

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 22, 1963

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 59, No. 40, p. 6826 on October 7, 1963