Registration Requirements for Non-Citizen and Foreign-Owned Retail Operators
- Within ninety days post-Act approval and annually by January 15, such entities must register with municipal or city treasurers.
- Registration must include verified details: owners'/partners'/stockholders' names, addresses, nationalities, retail business nature, assets and liabilities, principal officials, and other data as requested by the Secretary of Commerce and Industry.
Provisions Upon Death of Non-Citizen Retail Business Owner
- Heirs, administrators, or executors may continue the retail business solely for liquidation purposes.
- The continuation period is limited to six months after the owner's death.
Definition and Scope of "Retail Business"
- Defined as habitual direct selling of goods or commodities to the general public for consumption.
- Exclusions: manufacturers, processors, laborers, or workers selling their own products if capital is not more than five thousand pesos; farmers or agriculturists selling their own farm products.
License as Evidence of Business Ownership
- Licenses issued to Filipino citizens or wholly Filipino-owned entities conclusively prove ownership.
- This conclusive evidence is not binding against the Government or the State.
Penalties for Violations
- Violators face imprisonment of 3 to 5 years and fines ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 pesos.
- For associations, partnerships, or corporations, penalties apply to responsible principals: partners, presidents, directors, managers, and officers.
- Non-citizen offenders are subject to immediate deportation after serving sentences.
- Public officers or employees who violate the Act face dismissal, perpetual disenfranchisement, and disqualification from public office.
Effectivity of the Act
- The Act is effective immediately upon its approval on June 19, 1954.