REPUBLIC ACT NO. 540 - AN ACT GRANTING THE GIRL SCOUTS OF THE PHILIPPINES TEN THOUSAND HECTARES OF PUBLIC AGRICULTURAL LAND FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF SAID CORPORATION.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Such portion or portions of the public domain not exceeding ten thousand hectares as may be determined as hereinafter provided are hereby granted and ceded to the Girl Scouts of the Philippines to be held and administered as a permanent endowment for additional support and maintenance of said Corporation.

SEC. 2. The Executive Board of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines is hereby empowered to designate, by resolution, the site or sites in the different provinces of the Philippines which are to be allocated for the purposes of this Act and to transmit the same to the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources. If the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources is satisfied that the lands thus designated are unreserved, unoccupied or unapplied for under the Public Land Laws, and are suitable for the purposes of this Act, he shall cause the survey of said lands by the Bureau of Lands, the cost of such survey of said lands by the Bureau of Lands, the cost of such survey of said lands to be borne by the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. On the completion of the survey of each site, the same shall be ceded, conveyed, and transferred to the Girl Scouts of the Philippines by the Director of Lands.

SEC. 3. The control and administration of these land grants are hereby vested permanently in the Executive Board of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines: Provided, however, That said control and administration shall not empower said Board to sell, lease or alienate all or any portions of these lands without the previous consent of the Congress of the Philippines.

SEC. 4. All incomes, receipts, and profits derived from the administration of these land grants shall form part of the general fund of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and be subject to appropriation by the Executive Board of said Corporation and devoted only for the purposes for which said Corporation was established.

SEC. 5. Such portion or portions of the lands herein granted which are not developed, cultivated, or otherwise disposed of, after the lapse of twenty years from the date in which such lands have been cede, conveyed and transferred in accordance with the Public Land Act.

SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 17, 1950.