Establishment and Composition of Locust Boards
- Each province shall have a locust board tasked with locust suppression.
- Members include the provincial board, senior inspector of Constabulary, division superintendent of schools (ex officio), two appointed members recommended by the provincial board and appointed by the Director of Agriculture.
- In provinces with sub-provinces, the lieutenant-governor of each subprovince is an ex officio member.
Officers and Compensation of the Locust Board
- Provincial governor acts as ex officio chairman.
- Provincial treasurer serves as disbursing officer; provincial recorder as secretary.
- Members serve without compensation except for necessary travel expenses.
Meetings and Decision-Making
- Meetings are at the chairman's direction, at least monthly.
- Seven-day notice required unless urgency necessitates shorter notice.
- Special meetings convened upon written request of two members.
- Regulations pass by majority vote; quorum requires at least three members.
Duties Regarding Locust Surveillance and Reporting
- Board must stay informed on locust presence.
- Members must report sightings immediately to the chairman.
- Chairman may convene meetings or deputize members for investigation.
- Board actions include suppression measures and notifying municipal presidents and Director of Agriculture.
Record-Keeping and Reporting
- Maintain detailed records with municipality names, infested barrios, dates and stages of locust development, number of inhabitants available for service, and locust equipment.
- Monthly reports submitted to the Director of Agriculture using Bureau forms.
Supervision and Cooperation
- Director of Agriculture supervises overall locust campaign and compiles information.
- Chiefs and directors of Constabulary, Education, Lands, Forestry, and Posts cooperate with and provide necessary information to Director of Agriculture.
Duties of Municipal Officials and Inhabitants
- Municipal officials must cooperate with the locust board and comply with Act requirements.
- Persons discovering locusts must immediately report them up the local government hierarchy.
Municipal President’s Responsibilities
- Declare municipality locust infested when infestation is confirmed.
- Notify provincial governor and inhabitants to report for locust eradication service two days per week.
- Coordinate vice-president, councilors, and lieutenants to enforce the Act within districts.
- Provide lists of persons available for service; monitor and report weekly to the locust board.
Declaration of Infestation-Free Status
- Municipal president declares the municipality free of locusts once eradication is complete.
Mandatory Service for Locust Destruction
- Able-bodied inhabitants aged 16 to 60 must serve two nine-hour days weekly until infestation is declared eradicated.
- Locust board may mandate increased service periods if necessary.
Redemption of Service Obligation
- Persons may pay sixty centavos per day for unrendered service or furnish substitutes.
- Payments collected only by municipal treasurers or authorized officers with official receipts.
- Unauthorized collection of money for redemption is prosecutable.
Notification and Binding Effect
- Single notification declaring infestation suffices to obligate inhabitants until municipality is declared free.
Recording Service and Tracking Compliance
- Weekly approval and verification of service rendered; non-compliant persons noted by municipal treasurer.
Consequences of Failure to Render Service or Pay
- Failure to render service deemed intent to redeem obligation by cash payment, which is due that week.
- Failure to pay or serve is prima facie evidence of evasion and subject to prosecution.
Compliance for Landholders Actively Engaged in Eradication
- Landowners or tenants actively destroying locusts on their property and who have notified authorities are considered compliant.
- Such landholders and their laborers are exempt from impressment for service on other properties.
Exemptions from Service
- Exempt classes include government officers, common carrier employees, clergy, physicians, pharmacists, lawyers engaged in court, and designated provincial and municipal officials.
Use of Collected Funds
- Funds collected for service redemption form a special fund exclusively for locust suppression expenses.
- Allowed expenses include purchase of equipment, officials’ travel, and other expenditures approved by the Director of Agriculture.
Additional Funding and Expenditure Controls
- Locust boards may request additional funds from the Director of Agriculture for necessary campaign costs, subject to approval.
- No unapproved expenditures may be made outside the Act’s provisions.
Appointment of Inspectors
- Director of Agriculture may appoint inspectors to gather information and assist locust boards.
Authority to Enter Premises
- Locust board members or agents may enter any premises suspected to be infested for inspection or destruction purposes.
Immunity and Liability
- No government liability for plant damage caused in locust destruction.
- Officers causing unnecessary damage are subject to prosecution.
Penal Provisions
- Prohibition against unlawful contravention of Act provisions or obstruction of officers.
- Offenders penalized by fines (5 to 20 pesos), imprisonment up to 10 days, or both.
Enforcement and Administrative Supervision
- Locust board enforces the Act, supervises the campaign through municipal officers.
- Members are assigned districts for direct campaign management and accountability.
Repeal of Conflicting Laws
- Acts Nos. 817, 834, 2121, and inconsistent provisions repealed by this Act.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect immediately upon passage.