Leyte Sab-A Basin Development Authority Law

Jurisdiction over lands, waters, and natural resources within specified municipalities in Leyte and Tacloban City.
Includes timber, minerals, forestlands, pasturelands, and reforestation areas.
Lands within the Basin transferred to the Authority; titles issued by Director of Lands.
Preventive control over timber and mineral lands; disposal requires Authority recommendation and Presidential approval.
Revenues from natural resources in area belong to the Authority.

Conduct comprehensive surveys and maintain inventories of physical and natural resources.
Provide manpower and technical assistance to investors.
Negotiate financing and assistance for trade-related entities in the Basin.
Approve or supervise all development projects within the Basin.
Engage in various enterprises within the Basin including agriculture, mining, forestry, industry, and services.
Manage population resettlement and relocation with suitable relocation sites.
Undertake social services, disease control, employment creation, housing, education, and recreation.
Conduct waterworks including dredging, irrigation, reclamation.
Regulate use of lands and water bodies within the Basin.

Perpetual corporate existence; power to sue and be sued.
Establish by-laws, adopt corporate seal.
Enter contracts; acquire, lease, dispose of properties with controls on alienation.
Exercise eminent domain for public purposes.
Ensure safety and security measures approved by President.
Screen permits and licenses related to businesses and resource use.
Negotiate land leases for cultivation.
Provide loans to farmer cooperatives.
Contract professional management firms.
Utilize government personnel expertise.
Conduct scientific research and experiments.
Promote cooperative ventures.
Arrange local and foreign financing.
Organize agro-industrial and banking activities.
Issue necessary regulations for mandate execution.

Two capital funds: Capital Fund for Operations (max P100 million) and Capital Fund for Social Services.
Capital Fund for Operations focused on self-liquidating, profit-making projects.
Capital Fund for Social Services managed as a trust for social benefits including health, infrastructure, education and recreation.
Title and investment of Social Services Fund clearly segregated.

Subscription shares allocated among National Government, Province of Leyte, City of Tacloban, and municipalities with specified shares and paid-up amounts.
National Government advances initial payments and subsequent installments over years with provisions for recovering advances from local governments' Internal Revenue allocations.
Board may offer unissued shares to private investors not exceeding one-third of government subscriptions.

Funded via grants, endowments, and bequests from government, private sector, foreign governments, and international institutions.
Exempt from gift, estate, and inheritance taxes.
Managed as a true trust with provisions for reinvestment.

Composed of 5-11 members including provincial governor (chairman), Authority administrator (vice-chairman), provincial agriculturist, presidents of Visayas State College of Agriculture and Leyte Federation of Farmer Cooperatives, plus elected private shareholders' representatives.
Members need not hold qualifying shares unless required.

Filipino citizen with executive experience in public administration or related management fields.
Appointed by the President upon Board recommendation; holds office at pleasure of the President.
Compensation minimum set; must reside within Basin.
Powers include management direction, policy recommendation, budget submission, hiring/firing of staff below officer level, delegation of authority, and annual reporting to President.

Vice-Chairman acts as Chairman in absence; Board Secretary appointed.
Vacancy does not impair Board’s function if at least 3 members remain.
New members filling vacancies serve only remaining term.
Prohibitions on conflicts of interest and financial interests in Authority contracts for ex-officio members.
Quorum: 3 members; Board meets monthly or as needed.
Members receive per diem for meeting attendance.

Personnel hired based on merit and Civil Service rules except for policy, technical, and confidential positions.
Authority may contract services from other government agencies or employ consultants and experts as necessary.

Appropriation of initial start-up funds; subsequent expenditures authorized via budget.
Authority empowered to issue bonds from Capital Funds to finance projects.
Bonds terms, issuance, and government guarantee provisions specified.
Exemptions from taxes applicable to transactions and properties related to Capital Fund for Operations and subsidiaries.
Budget to be performance-based for efficiency monitoring.
Auditor General to appoint an Auditor; Authority bears audit expenses.
Annual audited financial reports submitted to President, Auditor General, and Provincial Governor.

Authority to set aside lands for relocating tenants, smallholders displaced by development, kaingeros, squatters, and dynamite fishermen under Authority’s terms.

Declaration of Leyte Multi-purpose Woodland and Nature Recreation Reservation.
Forest areas covering approx. 12,500 hectares designated for conservation and recreation.
Bureau of Forest Development tasked with development and maintenance.
Appropriation for fund provided.