Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 142)
The purpose of Executive Order No. 142 is to promulgate regulations governing the administration and collection of delinquent irrigation fees from landowners under irrigation systems constructed under Act No. 2152, as amended; to fix adjusted irrigation fees for these systems; and to prescribe the manner of collecting such fees.
The President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested by Commonwealth Act No. 87, administers the irrigation systems constructed under Act No. 2152, as amended.
The Director of Public Works is tasked with preparing rules and regulations for administering irrigation systems, which must then be approved by the President.
Landowners delinquent in the payment of irrigation fees for all years prior to 1936 are allowed until December 31, 1938, to pay these fees without interest or penalties.
No. Operation and maintenance charges with interest and the insurance charge for the years 1936, 1937, and 1938 are due and payable on or before August 31 of the following years as prescribed by existing law.
All court cases pending for the collection of irrigation fees for years prior to 1936 shall be suspended until January 1, 1939, without prejudice to reinstatement for the collection of unpaid fees on that date.
Owners of lands forfeited to or purchased by the government due to nonpayment of irrigation fees, and still in government possession, are allowed until August 23, 1938, to file applications for repurchase under conditions prescribed in Executive Order No. 108.
Irrigation fees consist of (a) actual cost of operation and maintenance with 4% interest; (b) an insurance charge of 50 centavos per hectare; and (c) a construction charge not exceeding 5 pesos per hectare, with total annual charges not exceeding 8 pesos per hectare.
Irrigation fees are due on or before August 31 of the following year. A 10% penalty applies after August 31 up to December 31, and a 20% penalty thereafter as prescribed by existing law.
Landowners delinquent for one year or longer are subject to court action for the collection of said fees as provided in section 13 of Act No. 2152, as amended.