Duties and Responsibilities of the Director
- Administer, supervise, maintain, and improve various recreational and cultural facilities including the zoo, botanical garden and nurseries, aquarium, oceanarium, planetarium, playgrounds, parks, monuments, historical sites and shrines, historical markers, natural history museum, and other public recreation buildings.
- Prescribe reasonable rules and regulations for orderly operation and maintenance, subject to the Mayor's approval.
- Implement development, improvement, or expansion plans under the Mayor's supervision.
- Conduct fundraising activities such as campaigns, donations, sponsorships, carnivals, exhibits, and shows to support the bureau’s projects; approval from the Mayor required.
- Provide mechanical and electrical amusement devices and rides for public rental.
- Coordinate with cultural, scientific, educational, athletic, and civic organizations to ensure successful projects and programs.
- Acquire animals, plants, natural history specimens, and recreation facilities for exhibition or public use.
- Authorize private establishment or installation of amusement and recreational devices within bureau property; collect reasonable fees with at least 20% of gross receipts credited to the bureau.
- Dispose of excess animals and plants through sale or exchange.
- Enforce laws related to the protection and safety of animals, plants, historical exhibits, playgrounds, and park facilities.
- Perform any additional duties assigned by the Mayor.
Financial Provisions and Revolving Fund
- The director, with the Mayor’s approval, may set and collect reasonable entrance fees and charges for recreational facilities.
- Collections from fees, royalties, rents, donations, contributions, and proceeds from events shall be credited to a special revolving fund.
- The revolving fund is exclusively for the bureau’s improvement, development, expansion, maintenance, operation, equipment purchase, and research to promote better management.
Automatic Assumption of Positions and Salaries
- Incumbent officials affected by the Act automatically assume new positions and receive new salaries without the need for new appointments.
Transfer of Assets and Personnel
- Upon establishment of the bureau, all records, personnel, funds, appropriations, equipment, tools, buildings, and facilities from the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, Division of Parks and Monuments, and Division of Public Recreation (Department of Engineering and Public Works) are transferred to the Public Recreations Bureau.
Repeal of Conflicting Laws
- All laws, ordinances, administrative orders, or parts thereof that conflict with this Act are repealed.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect immediately upon approval despite being enacted without the Executive approval on June 15, 1968.