REPUBLIC ACT NO. 766 - AN ACT TO SAFEGUARD LIFE AND PROPERTY AGAINST VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AND DANGERS BY CREATING A COMMISSION ON VOLCANOLOGY AND PROVIDING RELIEF FOR THE VICTIMS OF SUCH CALAMITY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 766, June 20, 1952 ]

AN ACT TO SAFEGUARD LIFE AND PROPERTY AGAINST VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AND DANGERS BY CREATING A COMMISSION ON VOLCANOLOGY AND PROVIDING RELIEF FOR THE VICTIMS OF SUCH CALAMITY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. For the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act, there is hereby created under the Executive Board, National Research Council, an office to be known as the Commission on Volcanology.

SEC. 2. The Commission on Volcanology shall be composed of the Director of Mines, the Director of the Weather Bureau, the Chairman of the Section on Geology, Seismology and Volcanology of the National Research Council, the head of the Department of Geology, University of the Philippines, and a representative of the Geological Society of the Philippines. Said members shall elect among themselves a Chairman who shall serve for a term of one year and until his successor is duly elected and has qualified as such. All the members shall serve without compensation. There shall be in said Commission such personnel and other employees to be appointed by the Executive Board, National Research Council, upon the recommendation of the Commission on Volcanology, as may be required to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 3. The Commission shall have the following powers and duties.

To investigate and conduct studies of all active Philippine volcanoes;

To establish necessary facilities in order to predict their eruption in advance, if possible;

To formulate in advance and in detail specific plans of action and of relief in the event of the eruption of any volcano;

To recommend to the President of the Philippines such measures as may be necessary to protect life and property in areas which may be affected by volcanic eruptions, including the declaration of certain areas as closed to human habitation or subject to regulation, as provided in section four hereof; and

To perform such other duties as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 4. Whenever public interest and safety shall so demand, the President of the Philippines may, upon the recommendation of the Commission on Volcanology, declare any area affected by or exposed to volcanic eruptions and dangers closed to human habitation and entry thereunto and residence therein shall be prohibited or otherwise Regulated.

When an area has been declared closed to human habitation due to its exposure to constant extreme danger from volcanic eruption, the property owners living therein shall be compensated for the loss of their properties by grants of public lands, the area and extent of which shall be determined by the value of the property abandoned by them: Provided, however, That such grants shall be subject to the limitations provided in the Constitution and existing laws: And, provided, further, That persons removed from such closed areas who are indigent or without property shall have priority in the distribution of lands in the settlement projects of the Government.

SEC. 5. The President, through such agency or agencies as he may designate, shall authorize the extension of relief to victims of volcanic eruptions and shall adopt measures for their resettlement in safe areas.

SEC. 6. In order to carry out the purposes of this Act there is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand pesos.

SEC. 7. The President of the Philippines shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. Any violation of the provisions of section four of this Act or of the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder shall be punished by imprisonment of not more than thirty days or a fine not exceeding one thousand pesos.

SEC. 8. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 20, 1952.