QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 5264)
Republic Act No. 5264, enacted June 15, 1968, creates the Public Recreations Bureau in the City of Manila and amends the Revised Charter of the City of Manila (R.A. No. 409).
The Act inserts the new Article XIV-B between Articles XIV and XV of the Revised Charter of the City of Manila.
It is created “under the Office of the Mayor of Manila.”
A director is appointed with an annual salary of ₱16,000, but the incumbent veterinary director of the Manila Zoo shall continue as director.
The administrative officer of the Manila Zoo is the executive officer, with compensation of ₱12,000 per annum.
The director must administer, supervise, maintain, and improve the zoo, botanical garden and nurseries, aquarium, oceanarium, planetarium, playgrounds, parks, monuments, historical sites and shrines, historical markers, natural history museum, and public recreation buildings of Manila, including prescribing reasonable rules subject to the Mayor’s approval.
The director must implement and carry out development and improvement plans/expansion under the supervision and direction of the City Mayor.
Yes. Subject to the approval of the Mayor, the director may conduct fund campaigns and accept financial or material assistance by donation, solicitation, voluntary contribution, or sponsorship of events for improvement, development, expansion, and operation/maintenance of the facilities.
The director may provide mechanical and/or electrical amusement devices, rides, and other recreation facilities for rent to the public.
The director must coordinate with cultural, scientific, educational, athletic, and civic organizations to ensure successful accomplishment of projects, programs, and activities.
The director may acquire different species of animals, plants, and natural history specimens, as well as necessary recreational facilities, devices, and equipment for exhibition or public use.
Subject to the Mayor’s approval, private persons may establish/install amusement and recreational devices within the bureau’s property and collect a reasonable fee; at least 20% of the gross receipts must accrue to the credit of the office.
It may dispose through sale and exchange excess animals no longer needed for exhibition in the zoo, and plants grown and propagated in the botanical garden and nurseries.
The director must enforce all laws and ordinances pertaining to the protection, preservation, or safety of animals, plants, historical exhibits, playgrounds, and park facilities, etc.
With the Mayor’s approval, the director shall provide and collect reasonable entrance fees and charges for recreational facilities and rents/royalties notwithstanding contrary laws or ordinances. Collections, royalties, rents, donations, contributions, and proceeds from shows/carnivals/exhibits accrue to the office’s credit and are treated as a special revolving fund expended exclusively for the bureau’s improvement, development, maintenance, operation, equipment, recreational devices, animals, botanical exhibits, research, and betterment of management.
Under Section 2, incumbent officials affected automatically assume their new positions and receive their new salaries without needing a new appointment. Under Section 3, upon organization of the bureau, all records, personnel, balance of funds and appropriations, equipment, tools, implements, buildings, and facilities of the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, Division of Parks and Monuments, and Division of Public Recreation (Department of Engineering and Public Works) are transferred to the Public Recreations Bureau.