Reorganization of Philippine Insular Government Bureaus

Bureau structure and offices created

Section 2 establishes that the Bureaus of the Insular Government shall consist of the following:
- Executive Bureau
- Bureau of Civil Service
- Bureau of Health
- Bureau of Lands
- Bureau of Science
- Bureau of Agriculture
- Bureau of Forestry
- Bureau of Quarantine Service
- Weather Bureau
- Bureau of Constabulary
- Bureau of Public Works
- Bureau of Navigation
- Bureau of Posts
- Bureau of Port Works
- Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey
- Bureau of Justice
- Bureau of Audits
- Bureau of Customs
- Bureau of Internal Revenue
- Bureau of the Treasury
- Bureau of Education
- Bureau of Supply
- Bureau of Prisons
- Bureau of Printing and Bureau of Cold Storage.
Section 3(i) provides that, unless otherwise provided by the Act, each bureau performs the duties and renders the services already required by law.

Executive Bureau: leadership, publications, supervision

Section 3(a) creates within the Executive Bureau:
- Executive Secretary (Chief), and
- Assistant Executive Secretary, and
- Second Assistant Executive Secretary.
Section 3(a) requires appointment of the Executive Bureau chiefs by the Governor-General, with the consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 3(a) assigns succession of duties:
- The Assistant Executive Secretary performs the Executive Secretary’s duties during the latter’s absence or disability.
- The Second Assistant Executive Secretary performs the Assistant Executive Secretary’s duties during the latter’s absence or disability.
Section 3(a) sets annual salaries:
- PHP 15,000 for Executive Secretary
- PHP 9,000 for Assistant Executive Secretary
- PHP 7,000 for Second Assistant Executive Secretary.
Section 3(b) abolishes Bureau of Archives and Bureau of Patents, Copyrights, and Trade-Marks as separate bureaus and converts them into a division of the Executive Bureau called the Division of Archives, Patents, Copyrights, and Trade-Marks, under the general supervision and control of the Executive Secretary.
Section 3(c) repeals all existing legal provisions regarding the Official Gazette, except insofar as they provide authority for its publication; thereafter, the Executive Bureau publishes the Gazette and its printing, sale, and distribution are handled by the Director of Printing (as later provided).

Executive Bureau duties: provincial finance, translations, Supreme Court reporting

Section 3(d) requires the Executive Bureau to exercise general supervision over provincial treasurers and to prepare needed rules and regulations for administering their affairs, notwithstanding conflicting existing law or Act No. 83 of the Philippine Commission and amendments.
Section 3(d) limits auditing of provincial treasurers, prescribing bookkeeping systems, and examining offices, books, and accounts to the Bureau of Audits.
Section 3(e) shifts approval authority for corrected tax assessments and true valuations: provincial boards must obtain approval of the Executive Secretary instead of the Insular Treasurer under Act No. 1298.
Section 3(f) requires that appointments of assistants, clerks, and other employees for provincial governors, treasurers, secretaries, fiscals, and other provincial officials receive approval of the Executive Secretary instead of the Insular Treasurer under existing laws.
Section 3(g) imposes a translation duty: upon request, the Executive Bureau must translate important documents into English, Spanish, or native dialects for public service, while requiring court-required translations to continue to be made by existing court translators.
Section 3(h) abolishes the office of reporter of decisions of the Supreme Court and requires that Philippine Reports be compiled and published by the Executive Bureau from copies of decisions furnished with synopses and syllabi by Supreme Court judges; the Executive Secretary performs remaining duties and services of the abolished reporter office.

Bureau of Civil Service: officials, salaries, incumbency protection

Section 4 creates the Bureau of Civil Service with:
- Director of Civil Service (Chief),
- Assistant Directors of Civil Service (two assistant chief positions).
Section 4 requires appointment of chiefs by the Governor-General, with the consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 4 provides that, unless otherwise provided, the Director performs the duties imposed by law on the Philippine Civil Service Board and its Chairman.
Section 4 provides that an Assistant Director designated by the Governor-General performs the Director’s duties during the Director’s absence or disability.
Section 4 sets annual salaries:
- PHP 8,000 for Director of Civil Service
- PHP 6,000 for each Assistant Director.
Section 4 protects the sitting Director: the incumbent Director at the Act’s passage receives the salary prescribed by law for the Chairman of the Philippine Civil Service Board during incumbency.

Bureau of Health: physician leadership, local health orders, prisons sanitation

Section 5(a) establishes the Bureau of Health with:
- Director of Health and
- Assistant Director of Health.
Section 5(a) requires both the Director and Assistant Director to be duly qualified physicians with a medical degree from a reputable medical school.
Section 5(a) requires appointments by the Governor-General with the consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 5(a) sets annual salaries:
- PHP 12,000 for Director of Health
- PHP 7,500 for Assistant Director of Health.
Section 5(a) authorizes the Director of Health, with approval of the Secretary of the Interior, to revoke or modify any order, regulation, by-law, or ordinance of a local board of health or municipality (except the city of Manila) that affects public health.
Section 5(b) abolishes the Philippine Civil Hospital and the Civil Sanitarium, Baguio, Benguet as separate bureaus and merges them as divisions of the Bureau of Health; the Director of Health assumes their legal duties and services and those of their attending physicians and surgeons.
Section 5(c) places prisoners health under the Bureau of Health:
- The Bureau must care for Bilibid Prison prisoners’ health,
- exercises control and supervision over sanitation of all Insular prisons and penal settlements, and
- exercises supervisory control over sanitation of all provincial and municipal prisons,
- and requires officers in charge to execute sanitary orders and regulations.
Section 5(c) resolves disputes: when there is a dispute between the Director of Prisons and the Director of Health about sanitary orders/rules, the matter goes to the Governor-General, whose decision is final.

Bureau of Health: veterinary transfer and Board abolition

Section 5(d) transfers the Veterinary Division of the Board of Health to the Bureau of Agriculture.
Section 5(d) requires the Director of Agriculture to cause examinations (meat, milk, animal products, or animals) as the Director of Health deems necessary to safeguard public health against dangerous diseases transmissible to humans through animals or animal products.
Section 5(e) abolishes the Board of Health for the Philippine Islands created by Act No. 157 (as amended), and transfers its duties and services to the Director of Health, unless the Act provides otherwise.

Bureau of Lands, Science, Agriculture, Mines

Section 6 establishes the Bureau of Lands with a Director of Lands and Assistant Director of Lands appointed by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 6 assigns salary and succession:
- Director salary PHP 12,000 per annum
- Assistant Director salary PHP 7,500 per annum
- Assistant performs during the Director’s absence or disability.
Section 6 provides that, unless otherwise provided, the Bureau of Lands performs the duties and services formerly required for the Bureau of Public Lands.
Section 7(a) establishes the Bureau of Science with a single Director of the Bureau of Science and creates a chief of the Biological Laboratory.
Section 7(a) sets salaries:
- Director of Science: PHP 12,000 per annum
- Biological Laboratory chief: PHP 10,000 per annum.
Section 7(b) abolishes the Mining Bureau as a separate bureau and makes it the Division of Mines within the Bureau of Science.
Section 7(c) mandates cost-based payments for Bureau of Science supplies to Insular departments/bureaus/offices and provincial/municipal governments, charging them the actual cost of producing/serving the supplies from available appropriations.
Section 7(c) allows the Bureau of Science to sell to the public publications, natural-history specimens, vaccine virus, serums, prophylactics, and supplies not procurable in Manila, and to perform analyses/examinations/investigations for provincial and municipal governments and the public.
Section 7(c) requires the Director of the Bureau of Science to fix prices for those sales and services subject to approval by the Secretary of the Interior, and requires collected moneys to be deposited with the Insular Treasurer as repayments credited to the Bureau of Science appropriation by the Auditor.
Section 7(e) repeals Section 7 of Act No. 156.

Bureau of Agriculture: leadership and animal industry

Section 8(a) establishes the Bureau of Agriculture with Director of Agriculture and Assistant Director of Agriculture appointed by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 8(a) sets annual salaries:
- Director of Agriculture: PHP 10,000
- Assistant Director of Agriculture: PHP 6,500.
Section 8(a) assigns succession: the Assistant Director performs the Director’s duties during absence or disability.
Section 8(b) creates a Division of Animal Industry in the Bureau of Agriculture and places the transferred veterinary division there under general supervision and control of the Director of Agriculture.
Section 8(c) provides that, unless otherwise provided, the Bureau of Agriculture performs the duties and services formerly required of the Bureau of Agriculture.

Bureau of Forestry and Quarantine Service

Section 9(a) establishes the Bureau of Forestry with a Director of Forestry appointed by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 9(a) sets Director salary at PHP 8,000 per annum and requires the Director to perform duties formerly imposed on the Chief of the Bureau of Forestry.
Section 9(b) grants a five-year public privilege starting from the Act’s passage: for five years, any resident may cut or take (or hire to be cut/taken) for personal use from public forests without license and free of charge certain timber and products:
- timber other than timber of the first group
- firewood
- resins
- other forest products
- stone or earth
- for housebuilding, fencing, boat building, or other personal use for the resident and family.
Section 9(b) prohibits commercial exploitation during the privilege: timber cut without license may not be sold nor exported from the province where cut.
Section 9(b) requires dealers to pay charges under Article XIV of Act No. 1189, the Internal Revenue Law of 1904, on all such products taken by them, and treats any person/firm/company whose business is selling timber or other forest products/stone/earth as a dealer within the Act.
Section 9(c) transfers functions of measuring and manifesting timber/products/stone/earth, fixing government charges, and collecting delinquent taxes: these functions become duties of employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue under rules set by the Collector of Internal Revenue and approved by the Secretary of Finance and Justice.
Section 10 provides that the Bureau of Quarantine Service, administered under U.S. Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service direction, shall have officers and perform duties and services as prescribed or to be prescribed by law for the Quarantine Service.

Weather, Constabulary, Public Works, Navigation, Posts

Section 11(a) establishes the Weather Bureau with:
- Director
- three Assistant Directors
- one corresponding Secretary.
Section 11(a) requires appointment by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 11(a) sets annual salaries:
- Director: PHP 5,000
- each Assistant Director: PHP 3,600
- Secretary: PHP 2,800.
Section 11(a) assigns functions:
- Assistant Directors perform scientific or administrative duties assigned by the Director;
- one Assistant Director performs the Director’s duties during the Director’s absence or disability with the Secretary of the Interior’s approval;
- the Secretary assists in official correspondence, manages the library, supervises mailing, and performs additional assigned duties.
Section 11(b) requires the Weather Bureau to perform the duties and render services of the Philippine Weather Bureau.
Section 12(a) establishes the Bureau of Constabulary with a Director and assistant chiefs as allowed by appropriation laws, appointed by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission; it identifies one Assistant Director as the Chief Supply Officer.
Section 12(a) provides U.S. Army detail compensation rules:
- A U.S. Army officer detailed as Director receives only the difference between the brigadier-general pay/allowances and the officer’s U.S. grade pay/allowances at the time of detail.
- A U.S. Army officer detailed as Assistant Director receives only the difference between colonel pay/allowances and the officer’s U.S. grade pay/allowances at the time of detail.
- The detailed officers’ names and ranks are aligned to the specified bureau titles for service.
Section 12(b) transfers the Constabulary commissary depot and wholesale/retail supply store in Manila to the Bureau of Supply.
Section 12(c) transfers the Constabulary telegraph division to the Bureau of Posts, effective January 1, 1906, and provides for transfer of officers/employees/constabulary telegraph enlistees to the Bureau of Posts with no change of status under specified Acts, except as to officers or inspectors.
Section 12(d) requires the Bureau of Constabulary to perform existing Constabulary duties unless otherwise provided.
Section 13(a) establishes the Bureau of Public Works with Director and Assistant Director, appointed by the Governor-General with consent; salaries are PHP 12,000 (Director) and PHP 7,500 (Assistant Director).
Section 13(b) abolishes the Bureau of Architecture and Construction of Public Buildings and creates the Division of Building Construction and Repair under the Bureau of Public Works.
Section 13(c) requires the Director of Public Works to maintain and repair all Insular buildings; serve as custodian of vacant Insular buildings and other designated buildings; and determine assignment of quarters to Insular Bureaus in public buildings.
Section 13(d) places Benguet Road and Benguet Improvements under the supervision and control of the Bureau of Public Works.
Section 13(e) requires the Bureau of Public Works to perform duties of the former Bureau of Engineering, unless otherwise provided.
Section 14(a) establishes the Bureau of Navigation with Director and Assistant Director; salaries are PHP 10,000 (Director) and PHP 6,500 (Assistant Director).
Section 14(b) obligates the Bureau of Navigation, upon proper requisition, to furnish water transportation to municipalities, provinces, and Insular government bureaus/offices required by public interest, with a reasonable charge fixed by the Bureau of Navigation with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Police.
Section 14(b) requires supervision/repair control: all Insular launches/dredges/floating derricks/water transportation and similar property (regardless of which bureau operated/controlled it) must be maintained under Bureau of Navigation supervision and repaired by or under its supervision.
Section 14(b) requires provincial/bureau reimbursement: provinces or bureaus retaining and operating water transportation must pay the Bureau of Navigation the reasonable cost of maintaining and repairing those not assigned to it, out of appropriated funds; disputes go to the Governor-General to determine reasonableness.
Section 14(c) requires the Bureau of Navigation to perform duties of the former Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation, unless otherwise provided.
Section 15(a) establishes the Bureau of Posts with:
- Director of Posts
- Assistant Director of Posts
- Superintendent Postal Division
- Superintendent Telegraph Division.
Section 15(a) sets annual salaries:
- Director of Posts: PHP 12,000
- Assistant Director of Posts: PHP 7,500
- Superintendent Postal Division: PHP 6,500
- Superintendent Telegraph Division: PHP 6,000.
Section 15(a) provides an exception for a telegraph division superintendent from the Constabulary: if appointed as Superintendent Telegraph Division, the person retains compensation under a special contract.
Section 15(b) grants the Bureau of Posts exclusive jurisdiction and control over:
- all mail and postal business within Philippine maritime jurisdiction
- all transferred telegraph and telephone lines/service under Section 12
- all other telegraph/telephone lines/service that later come under Government of the Philippine Islands jurisdiction/control.
Section 15(c) assigns Director of Posts duties (subject to executive control of the Secretary of Commerce and Police), including:
- establishing and discontinuing post offices and telegraph/telephone offices
- instructing persons in postal/telegraph/telephone duties
- deciding forms of official papers (except accounts)
- controlling expenses incident to the Bureau’s service (subject to settlement of the Insular Auditor)
- prescribing regulations for governance of the Bureau, its officers, clerks, employees, distribution/performance of business, and custody/use/preservation of records and property
- supervising postal service laws within maritime jurisdiction and telegraph/telephone service under government jurisdiction/control
- keeping the Bureau seal for appointments of postmasters and for authenticating transcripts/copies
- performing other duties required by law or executive order.
Section 15(d)–(f) require the Assistant Director and superintendents to perform duties assigned by the Director, and provide that in the event of death, resignation, absence, or sickness of the Director (and Assistant Director, where applicable), performance passes unless otherwise directed by the Secretary of Commerce and Police.
Section 15(g) repeals Act No. 179 and requires that all postal/telegraph/telephone services rendered by the Bureau of Posts to Insular/provincial/municipal government departments, bureaus, officials, clerks, or employees in their official capacity must be paid at regular rates for similar services to private persons, out of appropriated funds, effective on January 1, 1906.

Port Works, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Justice, Audits

Section 16(a) creates the Bureau of Port Works with a Director of Port Works appointed by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission, who performs duties of the former Officer in Charge of Port Works and other required duties.
Section 16(b) requires the Bureau of Port Works to render duties and services formerly prescribed by law for the Office of Port Works, unless otherwise provided.
Section 17 provides that the Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey, administered under the direction of the Coast and Geodetic Survey of the United States, Department of Commerce and Labor, shall have officers, perform duties, and render services as may be prescribed by law.
Section 18(a) establishes the Bureau of Justice with:
- Attorney-General,
- Solicitor-General,
- Assistant Attorney-General,
- eleven assistant attorneys.
Section 18(a) requires appointment by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 18(a) assigns succession of duties:
- Solicitor-General performs Attorney-General duties during absence/disability and performs the duties imposed on him by law.
- Assistant Attorney-General performs duties required by the Attorney-General.
- Assistant attorneys perform duties and services required by Act No. 1313 and other duties required by the Attorney-General.
Section 18(a) sets salaries:
- Attorney-General: PHP 12,000
- Solicitor-General: PHP 11,000
- Assistant Attorney-General: PHP 9,000
- assistant attorneys: salaries fixed by the Governor-General with approval of the Philippine Commission, but no assistant attorney may receive more than PHP 6,000 per annum.
Section 18(a) protects incumbency: the incumbent Attorney-General receives the salary then prescribed for the Attorney-General.
Section 18(b) authorizes and mandates a special estate-settlement procedure for certain U.S.-citizen civilian employees of the Insular Government:
- Applies when the employee dies in service, leaving real property or real and personal property in the Philippines with total value not exceeding PHP 1,500, and no regular administration under the Code of Civil Procedure has been had.
- The Attorney-General must take possession, make a complete inventory, file it with the Auditor, and perform Treasurer-of-the-Philippine-Islands estate duties under Act No. 290 (as to similar estates).
- The Attorney-General may sell the whole or part of the property for best interests, at public auction or private sale as determined most advantageous.
- Sales convey all right, title, and interest at time of death.
- If personal property is not converted into cash, proper receipts require delivery to persons adjudged entitled.
- If no sale is made of real property, the Attorney-General must convey it to persons adjudged entitled, reciting that conveyance is under this Act.
- Upon completion, payment to entitled persons, transfer of remaining real property, and estate settlement, the Attorney-General is not accountable to others for the estate so administered, while heirs may still sue in court having jurisdiction to recover from recipients upon proof of delivery to non-entitled persons.
Section 18(c) requires the Bureau of Justice, unless otherwise provided, to perform duties and services formerly required for the Attorney-General and the office of the Attorney-General.
Section 19(a) creates the Bureau of Audits with the Insular Auditor and Deputy Insular Auditor (also named “Insular Auditor” and “Deputy Insular Auditor”).
Section 19(a) requires appointment of the Insular Auditor and Deputy by the Secretary of War with concurrence of the Governor-General and approval of the Philippine Commission.
Section 19(a) sets salaries:
- Insular Auditor: PHP 12,000
- Deputy Insular Auditor: PHP 7,500.
Section 19(a) protects incumbency for Auditor and Deputy at passage.
Section 19(b) requires the Bureau of Audits to render duties and services required by Act No. 1402, known as the “Accounting Act.”

Customs, Internal Revenue, Treasury, Education, Supply, Prisons

Section 20(a) establishes the Bureau of Customs with:
- Insular Collector of Customs
- Insular Deputy Collector of Customs
- Insular Special Deputy Collector of Customs
- Insular Surveyor of Customs.
Section 20(a) requires appointments by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 20(a) sets salaries:
- Insular Collector: PHP 12,000
- Deputy: PHP 8,000
- Special Deputy: PHP 7,500
- Surveyor: PHP 7,500.
Section 20(b) requires the Bureau of Customs, unless otherwise provided, to perform duties of the former Bureau of Customs and Immigration.
Section 21(a) establishes the Bureau of Internal Revenue with:
- Collector of Internal Revenue
- Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue.
Section 21(a) requires appointment by the Governor-General with consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 21(a) sets salaries:
- Collector: PHP 10,000
- Deputy: PHP 8,500.
Section 21(a) requires that after January 1, 1906, the Collector is ex officio City Assessor and Collector of the city of Manila.
Section 21(b) transfers the City Assessor and Collector of Manila to the Bureau of Internal Revenue as the Division of Assessments and Collections for the city of Manila and assigns it duties required of the City Assessor/Collector and their deputies by existing laws.
Section 21(b) requires that duties prescribed by the Internal Revenue Law of 1904 for provincial treasurers and deputies be performed in Manila by the Division of Assessments and Collections.
Section 21(b) requires Manila to reimburse the Insular Government for all costs incurred by the Division in performing duties formerly imposed on the City Assessor and Collector and their deputies, except costs incurred in enforcing the Internal Revenue Law of 1904; the provision is effective on January 1, 1906.
Section 21(c) requires the Bureau of Internal Revenue to perform additional duties required by Section 9 of this Act and other duties prescribed by law.
Section 22(a) establishes the Bureau of the Treasury with:
- Treasurer of the Philippine Islands
- Assistant Treasurer of the Philippine Islands,
- also designated as “Insular Treasurer” and “Assistant Insular Treasurer.”
Section 22(a) requires appointment by the Secretary of War with concurrence of the Governor-General and approval of the Philippine Commission.
Section 22(a) sets salaries:
- Insular Treasurer: PHP 12,000
- Assistant Insular Treasurer: PHP 7,500.
Section 22(a) protects incumbency salaries for Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer at passage.
Section 22(b) transfers general supervision/control of provincial treasurers and rulemaking for provincial treasurers’ administration from the Insular Treasurer