Protection of Persons Furnishing Material and Labor for Construction of Public Works

November 7, 1930

ACT NO. 3688

AN ACT FOR THE PROTECTION OF PERSONS FURNISHING MATERIAL AND LABOR FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC WORKS

SECTION 1. Any person, partnership or corporation entering into a formal contract with the Government of the Philippine Islands for the construction of any public building, or the prosecution and completion of any public work, or for repairs upon any public building or public work, shall be required, before commencing such work, to execute the usual penal bond, with good and sufficient sureties, with the additional obligation that such contractor or his or its sub-contractors shall promptly make payments to all persons supplying him or them with labor and materials in the prosecution of the work provided for in such contract; and any person, company or corporation who has furnished labor or materials used in the construction or repair of any public building or public work, and payment for which has not been made, shall have the right to intervene and be made a party to any action instituted by the Government of the Philippine Islands on the bond of the contractor, and to have their rights and claims adjudicated in such action and judgment rendered thereon, subject, however, to the priority of the claim and judgment of the Government of the Philippine Islands. If the full amount of the liability of the surety on said bond is insufficient to pay the full amount of said claims and demands, then, after paying the full amount due the Government, the remainder shall be distributed pro rata among said intervenors. If no suit should be brought by the Government of the Philippine Islands within six months from the completion and final settlement of said contract, or if the Government expressly waives its right to institute action on the penal bond, then the person or persons supplying the contractor with labor and materials shall, upon application therefor, and furnishing affidavit to the department under the direction of which said work has been prosecuted, that labor or materials for the prosecution of such work have been supplied by him or them, and payment for which has not been made, be furnished with a certified copy of said contract and bond, upon which he or they shall have a right of action, and shall be, and are hereby, authorized to bring suit in the name of the Government of the Philippine Islands in the Court of First Instance in the district in which said contract was to be performed and executed, and not elsewhere, for his or their use and benefit, against said contractor and his sureties, and to prosecute the same to final judgment and execution: Provided, That where suit is instituted by any of such creditors on the bond of the contractor it shall not be commenced until after the complete performance of said contract and final settlement thereof, and shall be commenced within one year after the performance and final settlement of said contract, and not later: Provided, further, That where suit is so instituted by a creditor or by creditors, only one action shall be brought, and any creditor may file his claim in such action and be made party thereto within one year from the completion of the work under said contract and final settlement thereof, and not later. If the recovery on the bond should be inadequate to pay the amounts found due to all of said creditors, judgment shall be given to each creditor pro rata of the amount of the recovery. The surety on said bond may pay into court, for distribution among said claimants and creditors, the full amount of the sureties' liability, to wit, the penalty named in the bond, less any amount which said surety may have had to pay to the Government by reason of the execution of said bond, and upon so doing the surety will be relieved from further liability: And provided, further, That in all suits instituted under the provisions of this section personal notice of the pendency of such suits, informing them of their right to intervene as the court may order, shall be given to all known creditors, and in addition thereto notice by publication ¹ in some newspaper of general circulation, published in the province or town where the contract is being performed, for at least three successive weeks, the last publication to be at least three months before the time limited therefor. DAaHET

SECTION 2. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, November 7, 1930.

Footnotes

1. See PD 1079 regulating the publication of judicial notices, etc.