Amount appropriated and covered purposes
- Section 1 appropriates PHP 300,000,000, out of funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to defray expenditures for repairs of public works damaged by and relief to indigent victims of the calamities that occurred in June and July 1972.
- The appropriation covers calamity relief for items including food, medicines, shelter and clothing at not exceeding one hundred pesos per head of family and one hundred pesos for each dependent.
- The appropriation covers assistance for the rehabilitation of small farms.
- Implementation under Section 1 is to follow the release and disbursement rules under Section 7-1 (4) of Commonwealth Act No. 246, as amended.
Allocation by agency and priority areas
- Section 1 allocates PHP 120,000,000 to the Department of Public Work and Communications, with priority to dams, dikes, bridges and riprapping.
- Of the PHP 120,000,000 allocation, PHP 30,000,000 is for the repair of streets and drainage facilities in the Greater Manila Area comprising: City of Manila, Caloocan City, Quezon City, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Pasay City.
- Of the PHP 120,000,000 allocation, not more than PHP 15,000,000 is allocated for repair and reconstruction of projects in other municipalities or cities that suffered destruction, losses and damages due to the typhoons, rains and floods.
- Section 1 allocates PHP 50,000,000 to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources for purchase of seedlings, fertilizers and other inputs of production for rehabilitation of farms damaged by floods, rains and typhoons, with PHP 20,000,000 set aside for seedlings and fertilizers and PHP 30,000,000 for loans to farmers administered by the National Food and Agriculture Council.
- Section 1 allocates PHP 35,000,000 to the Department of Social Welfare.
- Section 1 allocates PHP 40,000,000 to the Central Bank to be made available to rural banks in the affected areas for loans and guarantees under rules and regulations the Central Bank provides to channel funds to the greatest number of persons affected.
- Section 1 allocates PHP 20,000,000 to the Department of Education to repair or replace books, school equipment, facilities and supplies, including school buildings, damaged or destroyed.
- Section 1 allocates PHP 20,000,000 to the Department of Health.
- Section 1 allocates PHP 15,000,000 for the Presidential Assistant on Community Development, National Irrigation Administration, Agricultural Productivity Commission, Department of Agrarian Reform, NACIDA, and Philippine National Railways.
Release priorities and disbursement deadlines
- Section 1 provides priority in relief and rehabilitation to victims of the calamities in Central Luzon, Manila and environs.
- Section 1 excludes from the intended releases and disbursements appropriations for the Department of Social Welfare and for other national offices and agencies intended for relief and rehabilitation except as otherwise addressed in the agency-specific allocations.
- Section 1 requires that the appropriated amounts for purposes under Section 1 be released, spent and actually disbursed within a period not later than March 31, 1973.
- Section 1 provides that no funds appropriated may be expended beyond March 31, 1973; any unexpended balance after March 31, 1973, whether obligated or not, automatically reverts to the General Fund, except for ongoing projects started before March 31, 1973.
- Section 1 allows disbursements for on-going projects started before March 31, 1973 to be authorized until but not beyond June 30, 1973.
- Section 1 requires that amounts appropriated for relief and/or direct assistance under sub-items including (c) Department of Social Welfare and (g) other national offices and agencies be released, spent and actually disbursed within a period not later than September 30, 1972.
Implementation rules and standards
- Section 2 defines “spent and actually disbursed” for purposes of Section 1 to refer to the movement of cash from the Government to the final recipient.
- Section 2 prohibits relief extended with public funds or officially by government officials and personnel from bearing any marking or identification attributing the relief as coming from any public official or private individual.
- Section 2 limits utilization for payment of personal services and administrative and other operational expenses to not more than five per centum of the amount appropriated or the total released at any one time.
- Section 2 requires that government officials and personnel extend relief equitably and as fast as possible, directly to calamity victims based on their need and available resources at a given time, without regard for political, religious, social or other consideration.
Oversight reports and joint congressional committee
- Section 3 requires implementing heads of government offices and agencies to submit a report within the first ten days of every month on funds released to their offices and agencies under Republic Act No. 6538.
- Section 3 requires an additional report within fifteen days from the end of every quarter on the progress or status of work prosecuted during the preceding quarter, including all relevant data.
- Section 3 directs these reports to a Joint Senate-House of Representatives Committee, created to watch over the disbursement and use of the appropriated funds.
- Section 3 establishes the Joint Committee composition: the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance (Co-Chairman), the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House (Co-Chairman), and two Members of each House, one of whom represents the Minority from each House, designated by the presiding officers of each House, respectively.
- Section 3 empowers the Joint Committee to scrutinize the reports and take measures to protect the public interest relating to disbursement and expenditures, including taking necessary measures for prosecution of parties responsible for violations.
Criminal and penal consequences for violations
- Section 3 makes criminal liability applicable to any head, chief, or employee of an office, bureau, or agency concerned in implementation found to have violated Republic Act No. 6538, subject to the Penal Code where the violation is covered.
- Section 3 provides that where the violation is not covered by the Penal Code, the guilty party is subject to a fine of one thousand pesos and imprisonment of not less than six (6) months or more than one (1) year, without prejudice to administrative action.
- Section 3 directs that the Joint Committee may take necessary measures for prosecution of parties responsible for violations.
Substantive cross-reference for disbursement
- Section 1 requires releases and disbursements to be pursued pursuant to Section 7-1 (4) of Commonwealth Act No. 246, as amended.