Question & AnswerQ&A (Act No. 1407)
The short title of Act No. 1407 is "The Reorganization Act."
The Bureau of Archives and the Bureau of Patents, Copyrights, and Trade-Marks were abolished and consolidated as a division of the Executive Bureau. The Bureau of Ethnological Survey and American Circulating Library of Manila were consolidated as divisions of the Bureau of Education. The Mining Bureau was constituted as a division of the Bureau of Science. The Bureau of Architecture and Construction of Public Buildings was made a division of the Bureau of Public Works. The Philippine Civil Hospital and Civil Sanitarium were merged with the Bureau of Health.
The chiefs and assistant chiefs of the bureaus are appointed by the Governor-General with the consent of the Philippine Commission, except for certain positions such as the Insular Auditor and Treasurer which are appointed by the Secretary of War with necessary approvals.
The Executive Secretary shall perform duties imposed upon him by existing laws and additional duties required by the Act, including general supervision over provincial treasurers' offices, approval of provincial officials' appointments, translations of important documents for public service, and compiling and publishing Philippine Reports.
The Bureau of Civil Service, headed by the Director and Assistant Directors, performs the duties prescribed by law for the Philippine Civil Service Board, including the management of civil service examinations, appointments, and overseeing the integrity of public service employment.
The Executive Bureau exercises general supervision and prepares rules and regulations for provincial treasurers' offices. Auditing and bookkeeping duties remain with the Bureau of Audits. Appointments of assistants and clerks in provincial offices require approval of the Executive Secretary.
The Bureau of Health, led by a Director and Assistant Director who must be qualified physicians, performs duties related to public health, including sanitation supervision of prisons and penal settlements. It also replaces the Board of Health and assumes its responsibilities.
The Bureau of Posts has jurisdiction over all mail, postal business, and telegraph and telephone services transferred to it. It is headed by a Director of Posts and assistant officers. The Act also requires payment for all postal, telegraph, or telephone services to government departments and agencies at regular rates starting January 1, 1906.
The Attorney-General, with assistants, performs duties prescribed by law including oversight of legal matters of the government and administration of estates of deceased civilian employees with estates not exceeding 1,500 pesos, including sales of property and settlement of estates.
For five years from the Act's passage, any resident may cut or take timber (excluding first group timber), firewood, and other forest products for personal use without a license or charge, provided such timber is not sold or exported from the province where cut.
The Governor-General has executive control and supervision over the Executive Bureau and the Bureau of Civil Service.
The Department of Public Instruction has executive control and supervision over these bureaus.