Republic Act No. 552




[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 552, June 17, 1950 ] AN ACT GRANTING TO THE ELIZALDE & CO., INC., A TEMPORARY PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, ESTABLISH AND OPERATE PRIVATE FIXED POINT-TO-POINT AND PRIVATE COASTAL RADIO STATIONS FOR THE RECEPTION AND TRANSMISSION OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: Section 1. There is hereby granted and conceded to the Elizalde & Co., Inc., its successors or assigns, the right and privilege of constructing, installing, establishing and operating in the Philippines and at such places as the said company may select, subject to the approval of the Department Secretary under those jurisdiction the Radio Control Division if functioning, or any competent authority who is or shall be authorized now or in the future, to give said approval, such private fixed point-to-point and private coastal radio stations for the reception and transmission of wireless messages on radiotelegraphy or radiotelephony, each station to consist of at least two radio apparatus comprising of a receiving and sending radio apparatus; and such devices as the grantee may decide to use to preserve the secrecy of communications, provided that such devices meet with the approval of the Department Secretary under whose jurisdiction the Radio Control Division is functioning. Section 2. The President of the Philippine Republic shall have the power and authority to permit the location of said private fixed point-to-point and private coastal radio stations or any of them on the public domain upon such terms as he may prescribe. Section 3. This temporary permit shall continue to be in force during the time that the government has not established similar service at the places selected by the grantee, and is made upon the express condition that the same shall be void unless the construction of said stations be begun within one year from date of approval of this Act and be completed within two years from said date. Section 4. The Elizalde & Co., Inc., shall not engage in domestic business of telecommunications in the Philippines without further special assent of the Congress of the Philippines, it being understood that the purpose of this temporary permit is to secure to the grantee the right to construct, install, establish and operate private fixed point-to-point and private coastal radio stations in places within in the Philippines as the interest of the company and of its trade and business may justify. Section 5. A special right is hereby reserved to the President of the Republic of the Philippines in time of war, insurrection, public peril, calamity or disaster to cause the closing of the station or stations or to authorize the temporary use or possession thereof by any department of the Government, upon just compensation. Section 6. No fees are chargeable as the radio stations that may be established by virtue of this Act shall engage in communications regarding company's business only.ℒαwρhi৷ Section 7. The grantee, its successors or assigns, shall hold the national, provincial and municipal governments of the Philippines harmless from all claims, accounts, demands, or actions arising out of accidents or injuries, whether to property or to persons caused by the construction or operation of the stations for reception and transmission of wireless messages by the grantee, its successors or assigns. Section 8. The grantee, its successors or assigns, shall so construct and operate its radio stations as not to interfere with the operation of other radio stations maintained and operated in the Philippines. Section 9. No private property shall be taken for any purpose by the grantee of this temporary permit, its successors or assigns, without proper condemnation proceedings and just compensation paid of tendered therein, and any authority to take and occupy land contained herein shall not authorize the taking, use, or occupation of any land except such as is required for the actual necessary purposes for which the temporary permit is granted. All lands or rights of use and occupation of lands granted to the grantee, its successors or assigns, shall, upon the termination of this temporary permit or upon its revocation or repeal, revert to the national, provincial or municipal government to which such land or right to use and occupy belonged at the time of the grant thereof of the right to use or occupy the same was conceded to the grantee herein, its successors or assigns. Section 10. The grantee, its successors or assigns, shall be subject to the Corporation Laws of the Philippines now existing or hereafter enacted. Section 11. The grantee, its successors or assigns, is hereby authorized to operate its private coastal stations on commercial frequencies that may be assigned to it by licensing authority, including the international distress frequency of five hundred kilocycles and the high frequency distress frequency of eight thousand two hundred and eight kilocycles, and to communicate with ship radio stations open to public correspondence only in cases of emergency. Section 12. This temporary permit shall not be interpreted to mean an exclusive grant of the privileges herein provided for. Section 13. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved, June 17, 1950. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation