REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4233 - AN ACT FURTHER AMENDING SECTION THREE OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY-SEVEN, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT.

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

SECTION 1. Section three of Republic Act Numbered Four hundred seventy-seven, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Three thousand three hundred forty-eight, is further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 3. All lands so subdivided except commercial and industrial lots shall be sold by the National Abaca and Other Fibers Corporation without the sales application, publication and the public auction required in sections twenty-four, twenty-five, and twenty-six of Commonwealth Act Numbered One hundred forty-one, as amended, to persons who are qualified to acquire public agricultural lands: Provided, however, That sales of such lands heretofore made by the National Abaca and Other Fibers Corporation without the sales application, publication and public auction as provided in the above-mentioned sections of the Public Land Law are hereby authorized, ratified and confirmed: Provided further, That preference shall be given first to bona fide occupants thereof on or before December twelve, nineteen hundred and forty-six and second to veterans of the last war, and to members of duly recognized guerrilla organizations and other qualified persons, who entered the land after December twelve nineteen hundred and forty-six, but not later than October thirty-one, nineteen hundred and sixty and who shall be limited of the area they have actually and continuously improved and maintained: Provided, finally, That the subdivided lots which may still be unoccupied shall be disposed of by drawing lots among qualified persons who may apply for said lots."

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 19, 1965.