Question & AnswerQ&A (Act No. 2736)
The main purpose of Act No. 2736 is to make appropriations for public works in the Philippines, allocating funds for various projects under different bureaus and provinces.
Funds are appropriated out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated for public works and other purposes of the Insular Government.
Projects include construction and improvement of telephone lines, sanitary public markets, public buildings, maintenance of roads and bridges, irrigation systems, and port facilities in non-Christian and special provinces.
Distribution is at the discretion of the respective secretaries: Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Public Instruction, Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Secretary of Finance, and Secretary of Commerce and Communications based on the subsections specified in the Act.
All unexpended balances or those without determined destination revert to the unappropriated funds in the Insular Treasury and cannot be spent without further appropriation by the Legislature.
If the Secretary of Finance believes the probable revenues are insufficient to cover the projects, he must report to the Governor-General, who can suspend projects temporarily or permanently upon recommendation of the Department Secretaries.
The Act appropriates funds for the bridge named after William Atkinson Jones, provided the City of Manila appropriates sufficient funds to complete the construction on its part.
Investigation, survey, and construction of irrigation systems are funded, but the use of water for private land is subject only to rules and regulations prescribed by the Irrigation Council, despite contrary provisions in earlier Acts.
The Director of Public Works has authority to declare first-class roads for maintenance and approve systems of maintenance, surveys, and improvements for roads, bridges, ports, and related infrastructure.
Some projects, like the construction of the bridge across the Pasig River and certain irrigation or waterworks, require the provinces, municipalities, or local governments involved to appropriate sufficient funds on their part to complete the projects.