SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1601.] AN ACT For the relief of the Province of Bataan by canceling, under certain conditions, the indebtedness of the province in the sum of six thousand pesos, and providing for a new loan of six thousand pesos to said province for general provincial purposes. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The indebtedness of the Province of Bataan to the Government of the Philippine Islands arising from the loan of six thousand pesos granted to said province by Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and ten, is hereby canceled on condition that the provincial government shall transfer from its revenues to the provincial school fund, prior to January first, nineteen hundred and nine, an amount at least equal to the indebtedness so canceled, which sum so transferred shall be used only for the purpose of constructing school buildings. The Insular Auditor shall require, as evidence of compliance with the conditions herein set forth, the certificate of the Secretary of Public Instruction to the effect that he has personally or by authorized representative satisfied himself that the said condition has been met by the province. SEC. 2. There is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of six thousand pesos, to be loaned to the Province of Bataan, and to be expended by the provincial board of that province for general expenses of the provincial government. The money so appropriated shall be paid to the treasurer of Bataan upon the production by him to the Insular Treasurer of a certified copy of a resolution of the provincial board of Bataan accepting said loan and agreeing to repay the money, without interest, on or before the expiration of two years from the date of the acceptance of the loan by the provincial board of Bataan, the repayment to be made in two equal annual installments. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1602.] AN ACT Amending Act Numbered Seven hundred and eighty, entitled "An Act providing for the examination and licensing of applicants for the positions of master, mate, patron, and engineer of seagoing vessels in the Philippine coastwise trade, and prescribing the number of engineers to be employed by such vessels." By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Section one of Act Numbered Seven hundred and eighty, entitled "An Act providing for the examination and licensing of applicants for the positions of master, mate, patron, and engineer of seagoing vessels in the Philippine coastwise trade, and prescribing the number of engineers to be employed by such vessels," is hereby amended to read as follows: "SECTION 1. A board is hereby created, to consist of the Insular Collector of Customs, the supervising inspector of hulls and boilers, and assistant inspector of hulls, one person holding an unexpired license as master in the Philippine coastwise trade, and one other competent person, whose duty it shall be to examine and certify for licenses all applicants for licenses as watch officers and engineers upon vessels of the Philippine Islands. The Insular Collector of Customs shall be president of the board, ex officio, and any three members thereof shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. This board shall be known and referred to as the "Board on Philippine Marine Examinations." The Insular Collector of Customs is authorized to designate the persons who shall constitute the board, from among the classes above enumerated, and to detail from the clerical force provided for the Bureau of Customs a competent person to serve as secretary of the board without additional compensation: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed to make such secretary a member of the board for any other purpose: And provided further, That the expenses of the said board shall be paid from the regular appropriation for the Bureau of Customs." SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1603.] AN ACT Transferring, under certain conditions, to the respective school funds of the provinces of La Union, Nueva Ecija, and Sorsogon, certain amounts due from said provinces to the Insular Government. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission that: SECTION 1. The amount due from the Province of La Union to the Government of the Philippine Islands, to the extent of thirty 11027-WAR 1907-VOL 10-7 seven thousand pesos, is hereby transferred to the provincial school fund of La Union, on condition that the provincial government shall provide and pay into said school fund, in addition thereto, the sum of thirteen thousand pesos, making a total of fifty thousand pesos, which shall be expended, in amounts of one-seventh of the total each year, in the construction and preparation of suitable buildings in said province for schools of arts and trades, domestic science, and agriculture, as follows: The first one-seventh part to be made available on or before the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred and seven, the second one-seventh on or before the thirty-first day of December, nineteen hundred and seven, and each of the remaining one-seventh parts to be made available on or before the thirtieth day of June of each year thereafter, until the total of fifty thousand pesos shall have been provided and expended, as above prescribed. SEC. 2. The amount due from the Province of Nueva Ecija to the Government of the Philippine Islands, to the extent of fifteen thousand pesos, is hereby transferred to the school fund of Nueva Ecija on condition that the provincial government shall provide and pay into said school fund, in addition thereto, the sum of five thousand pesos, making a total of twenty thousand pesos, which shall be paid into said school fund in four annual installments of five thousand pesos each, the first installment to be made available on or before the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred and eight, and each of the remaining three installments to be made available on or before the thirtieth day of June of each year thereafter, and shall be used for the construction and preparation of suitable buildings in said province for school purposes until the total of twenty thousand pesos shall have been provided and expended. SEC. 3. The indebtedness of the Province of Sorsogon to the Government of the Philippine Islands arising from the loan of twenty thousand pesos granted to the Province of Sorsogon by Act Numbered Twelve hundred and eighty-nine is hereby canceled: Provided, That the provincial government shall expend from its revenues prior to January first, nineteen hundred and nine, an amount equal thereto in the acquisition of land, construction of permanent school buildings, and the purchase of equipment for provincial school purposes. SEC. 4. The several installments of the funds provided for in sections one, two, and three hereof, as they become available, shall be paid into the Insular Treasury as special deposits to be added to the special provincial school fund of the province concerned, and shall constitute with it, in each case, one total fund under the control of the Secretary of Public Instruction, to be disbursed by the Bureau of Education in accordance with the provisions of Act Numbered Thirteen hundred and eighteen. Should the Province of La Union, er the Province of Nueva Ecija, as the case may be, fail to make the said special deposits in the Insular Treasury on or before the the dates prescribed by this Act, the Insular Auditor shall make suitable deduction from any funds which may be due the province, to cover the same. SEC. 5. The Insular Auditor shall require, as evidence of compliance with the conditions set forth in section three of this Act, for the Province of Sorsogon, the certificate of the Secretary of Public Instruction to the effect that he has personally, or by authorized representative, satisfied himself to that effect. SEC. 6. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1604.] AN ACT Amending Act Numbered Seven hundred and fifteen, entitled "An Act reducing the twenty-four municipalities of the Province of Oriental Negros to fourteen," by transferring the seat of the municipal government of the municipality of Dauin from Zamboanguita to Dauin and that of the municipality of Tayasan from Tayasan to Jimalalud. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Section one of Act Numbered Seven hundred and fifteen, entitled "An Act reducing the twenty-four municipalities of the Province of Oriental Negros to fourteen," is hereby amended as follows: (a) By striking out at the end of paragraph four the word "Zamboanguita," and inserting in lieu thereof the word "Dauin." (b) By striking out at the end of paragraph ten the word "Tayasan," and inserting in lieu thereof the word " Jimalalud." SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1605.] AN ACT Forbidding, under penalty, bonded officers or bonded employees, or former bonded officers or bonded employees, of the Insular Government, or of any provincial or municipal government in the Philippine Islands, or the city of Manila, from leaving or attempting to leave the Philippine Islands without first securing a certificate from the Insular Auditor, and repealing Act Numbered Eleven hundred and sixty-one. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. No bonded officer or bonded employee of the Insular Government, or of any provincial or municipal government in the Philippine Islands, or of the city of Manila, whether in the actual service of such government or separated therefrom, shall leave or attempt to leave the Philippine Islands without first securing a certificate from the Insular Auditor showing that his accounts with the government of which he is or was such bonded officer or bonded employee have been finally settled by said Auditor. Every such officer or employee violating any of the provisions of this Act shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or by a fine of not more than one thousand pesos, or both, in the discretion of the court. SEC. 2. Act Numbered Eleven hundred and sixty-one, entitled " An Act declaring any bonded officer or employee of the Civil Government who leaves or attempts to leave the Philippine Islands without first securing a clearance from the Auditor to be guilty of a misdemeanor," is hereby repealed. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 1606.] AN ACT Amending Act Numbered One hundred and forty-six, relating to the duties of the Purchasing Agent, by declaring the manner in which estimates are to be submitted and purchases made thereunder. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Act Numbered One hundred and forty-six, entitled "An Act creating the office of Insular Purchasing Agent for the Government of the Philippine Archipelago, defining the duties of such officer, and making an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars for the purpose of carrying said Act into effect," is hereby amended by striking out section five thereof and inserting in lieu . thereof the following: "SEC. 5. Each head of a civil Department, Bureau, or Office shall submit annually, within thirty days after the passage of each regular annual appropriation bill, to the said Purchasing Agent, an estimate of articles or supplies which will probably be required for the transaction of its official business for the fiscal year for which appropriations are made, such estimates to be used as a basis upon which the Purchasing Agent may make necessary purchases. Such estimates shall be accompanied by a certificate by the head of Bureau or Office submitting the estimate that there will be, during the period in which the supplies are to be delivered, sufficient funds with which to make payment for the same, and said certificate shall be approved by the Secretary of the Department to which the Bureau or Office belongs. All supplies purchased in compliance with such estimates shall be requisitioned for and paid for by the Bureau or Office making the estimate within the period for which the estimate was made: Provided, That the Purchasing Agent, before making purchases in accordance with such estimates, shall call the attention of the head of the Bureau or Office making requisition to the fact that he has on hand, if such be the case, similar articles, which, in his judgment, will fairly answer the purposes of the requisition and the requisition shall be returned to the head of the Bureau or Office concerned, and in |