MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 545, November 10, 1952 ]

APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR URGENT AND ESSENTIAL PUBLIC WORKS

WHEREAS, the Congress in its last special session called for the purpose of providing funds for urgent and essential public works, such as maintenance of public buildings and permanent improvements, river control works, sea protection works, partworks, irrigation systems, airports, waterworks and artesian wells, particularly hospitals, schoolhouses and municipal buildings which need immediate repairs and reconstruction due to damages wrought by recent typhoons and floods or which have been destroyed by other calamities, has utterly failed to approve legislation to provide the urgently needed funds;

WHEREAS, the further abandonment of those projects, especially the reconstruction of school buildings and hospitals, Inns already resulted in the suspension of classes, in the closing of public hospitals, puericulture centers, charity clinics and other public health and sanitary services in typhoon-stricken areas and in the laying off of thousands of laborers, thus aggravating the unemployment problem;

WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of people who have suffered during the recent typhoons need immediate relief by providing them with opportunities for employment in the public works projects; and

WHEREAS, the resulting emergency has created a situation which renders it absolutely necessary for the Government to take immediate steps to enable it to fulfill its responsibilities and to maintain and enforce its authority;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ELPIDIO QUIRINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and Commonwealth Act No. 671, known as the Emergency Powers Law, and upon the insistent and strong appeal of the House of Representatives as expressed in its Resolution No. 99, adopted November 8, 1952, do hereby order:

Section 1, The following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated out of the General Fund in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be allocated by the Secretary of Public Works and Communications and expended under the direction of the Director of Public Works, for the purposes mentioned hereunder:

A. MISCELLANEOUS

(a) Emergency Projects. For investigation, survey, reconstruction, repair, improvement, extension and completion of public works projects, including the purchase of school, hospital and market sites in provinces, chartered cities and municipalities, particularly in the typhoon-stricken areas or which have been destroyed by other calamities P 20,000,000.00
(b) For the reconstruction, repair, and maintenance of national buildings, and other permanent improvements P2,870,500.00

B. SANITATION

(a) For the drilling of artesian wells and the maintenance and repair of well-drilling tools and equipment, Including the purchase of necessary supplies, materials, equipment and drilling machines P1,000,000.00

C. WATERWORKS

(a) For the investigation, survey, repair, and improvement of the water supply systems, including the purchase of the necessary supplies, materials and equipment P1,000,000.00

D. RIVER CONTROL

(a) For the investigation, survey, repair, and improvement of river control and drainage works, including the purchase of the necessary supplies, materials and equipment P2,500,000.00

E. SHORE PROTECTION

(a) For the investigation, survey, repair, and improvement of sea protection works, including the purchase of the necessary supplies, materials and equipment P800,000.00

F. IRRIGATION

(a) For the investigation, survey, repair, and improvement of irrigation system, including the purchase of the necessary supplies, materials and equipment P3,500,000.00

G. AIR NAVIGATION

(a) For the survey, acquisition, improvement, maintenance, operation of necessary supplies, materials and equipment of airports for commercial aviation and air navigation facilities P 2,100,000.00

H. WATER RIGHTS ADJUDICATION AND HYDROGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS

(a) For investigation, survey and adjudication of water rights, including the purchase of necessary supplies, materials and equipment P 55,000.00
(b) For making hydrographic investigation in connection with the study of water supply, irrigation, water power, and river control projects, including the purchase of necessary supplies, materials and equipment P145,000.00

Section 2. The following sums or so much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated out of the “Port Works Fund” that has accrued under Act NO. 3592, as amended, not otherwise appreciated, to be spent by the Director of Public Works, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications and to the provisions hereinafter set forth, for the purpose mentioned hereunder:

(a) For the reconstruction, extension, improvement, and repair of National Parts, including the purchase of necessary supplies, material and equipment P 1,680,000.00
(b)For the aid in the construction, reconstruction, and improvement of municipal parts, including the purchase of necessary supplies, materials and equipment, to allotted by the Secretary of Public Works & Communications in accordance with the recommendation of the Philippine port Commission P 1,675,000.00
(c) For the investigation and survey of port sites, including the purchase of necessary supplies, materials and equipment P 25,000.00
(d) For the construction, improvement, reconstruction, and repair of lighthouses and other aids to navigation, including the purchase of necessary supplies, materials and equipment, to be allotted by the Secretary of Public Works and Communications in accordance with the recommendation of the Lighhthouse Board. P 500,000.00
Total appropriation from Port Works Fund P 3,880,000.00
GRAND TOTAL P37,850,500.00

Section 3. All sums appropriated under this Order shall be released only after certification by the Fund Release Committee created under Administrative Order No. 129, dated August 8, 11950, to the President of the Philippines that there are sufficient funds delivered from current revenues in excess of authorized appropriations for the ordinary operating expenses of the National Government in the National Treasury to warrant such release.

Section 4. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 10th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-two, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the seventh.1a⍵⍴h!1

(SGD.) ELPIDIO QUIRINO
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) MARCIANO ROQUE
Acting Executive Secretary


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