QuestionsQuestions (Act No. 2583.)
It is an appropriation law enacted by the Philippine Legislature by authority of the United States, setting aside specific sums for public works and permanent improvements, enumerated by agency and project.
First, from any funds in the Insular Treasury from the sale of bonds for public works or permanent improvements; in default thereof, from any Insular Treasury funds not otherwise appropriated.
It includes (a) extension of permanent improvements on the property of the “Gota de Leche” (P4,000), (b) purchase of land/buildings used as a leper station at Cebu (P15,000), with conditions on government takeover; (c) construction of a dispensary building for the Southern Islands Hospital in Cebu (P5,000); and (d) construction of a hospital building at Cuyo, Palawan (P9,000).
The government may take over the buildings and land, limited to the title of the present possessors, in exchange for possessors expressly renouncing all claims, including unpaid rentals during the last fifteen years and payments made by said possessors to the Bureau of Lands.
Examples: (f) completion of the administrative building of the Forest School at Los Banos and purchase of equipment (P10,000), and (g) construction of student quarters at the School of Forestry (P8,000).
Under subsection (h), funds are allocated for construction/improvement/maintenance of roads and bridges in provinces that accept Act No. 1652 through a provincial board resolution guaranteeing continuing annual appropriations for the maintenance system as judged necessary by the Director of Public Works, for first-class roads.
In proportion to the number of inhabitants of each province.
The Director of Public Works determines, in judgment, the system of maintenance needed for first-class roads (and related infrastructure) that the provinces must guarantee through continuing annual appropriations.
It expressly includes provinces of Mindoro, Palawan, and Batanes organized under the Special Provincial Government Act, and also provinces organized under Act No. 2408, in the scope of road and bridge funding.
For subsections (h), (i), and (j) and related items, the Secretary of Commerce and Police can apportion funds in discretion (e.g., in subsection (i)) and may also make appropriations available (with approval) for second and third-class roads, trails, and temporary bridges when more useful for the public interest.
The appropriations under paragraphs (h), (i), and (j) may be made available, with approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Police, for construction/reconstruction/repair/maintenance of second and third-class roads, trails, and temporary bridges wherever most useful and proper for the public interest.
It requires that provinces/municipalities adopt resolutions providing for appropriation of funds covering one-third of the project cost. Those local funds must be covered into the Insular Treasury once the Director of Public Works fixes the amount. The insular aid is apportioned at the Secretary of Commerce and Police’s discretion, with a cap stated in the law.
The law mandates that the amounts expended be returned to the municipality or province that incurred the expense.
The Secretary of Commerce and Police may not assign to any municipality or project as Insular aid a sum in excess of twenty-five thousand pesos (the text also reflects the amount as stated with “250,000.00,” but the stated limit is the phrase “twenty-five thousand pesos”).
It continues in force subsection (u) of Section 1 and Section 2 of Act No. 2494, as well as relations to subsections (c), (d), and (e) of Section 2 of Act No. 2378, making those appropriations available as if made by Act No. 2583, subject to a proviso related to Naga waterworks.
All balances of the different appropriations unexpended on June 30, 1917 revert to the unappropriated funds in the Insular Treasury, and thereafter cannot be withdrawn or spent except upon a new legislative appropriation.
If the Governor-General believes probable Insular revenues will be insufficient, he may temporarily or definitely suspend construction of any specified project or projects under the Act until otherwise ordered by the Legislature.