Granting a Prize of P15,000 to the Inventor of an Incombustible Roof to Substitute Nipa

May 29, 1908

ACT NO. 1838

AN ACT GRANTING A PRIZE OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND PESOS TO THE INVENTOR OF AN INCOMBUSTIBLE ROOF TO SUBSTITUTE NIPA, AND CREATING A TECHNICAL BOARD TO PASS UPON THE CONDITIONS OF THE INVENTION

SECTION 1. A prize of fifteen thousand pesos, Philippine currency, to be paid out of Insular funds not otherwise appropriated, is hereby granted to the inventor of a material or substance suitable for roofing, or of a system of roofing, which can substitute nipa and which shall be fireproof, waterproof, not subject to the attacks of insects, durable, and not more costly than nipa: Provided, That, other conditions being equal, roofing shall be preferred which can be manufactured in this country and with materials thereof: And Provided Further, That said roofing shall be suitable or adaptable to buildings of light materials.

SECTION 2. A technical board, consisting of seven members appointed by the Governor-General, shall pass upon and decide to which of the inventors who compete shall be awarded the prize granted by this Act, or, in case the roofing invented does not possess the properties prescribed in the next preceding section, it shall declare no award. Subject to the approval of the Governor-General, the board provided for in this section shall prescribe the form and conditions in which the competition shall be conducted, and shall determine the question relative to the cost of the roofing or system invented, which are indicated in the next preceding section Provided, Nevertheless, That in case the board deems it advisable it may, in its discretion, declare the use of the roofing invented to be economical where it shall exceed the cost price of nipa by only twenty per centum. ACTIHa

SECTION 3. It shall be the duty of the successful inventor to inform the technical board regarding the materials or substances which shall have been employed in the manufacture or composition of said roofing, and to submit to said board a descriptive report of said composition or manufacture. The technical board shall immediately forward, with its own report, the descriptive report submitted by the successful inventor, to the Governor-General, who shall direct its publication in such form as he may deem advisable for the information of the general public.

SECTION 4. The Government reserves to itself the right to acquire the patent rights for the roofing invented, and the Governor-General is hereby authorized to stipulate for that purpose the purchase of the patent at a price not to exceed fifteen thousand pesos, Philippine currency. HCSAIa

SECTION 5. One year after the passage of this Act, if no inventor has presented himself to compete for the prize, or if, in the judgment of the technical board, the substance invented or the system submitted does not deserve the prize, in accordance with section two of this Act, said board shall declare that there will be no award, and, consequently, this Act shall become null and void. CaSAcH

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, May 29, 1908.