An Act to Establish a National Historical Commission, to Define its Powers and Functions, Authorizing the Appropriation of Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes

REPUBLIC ACT No. 4368

An Act to Establish a National Historical Commission, to Define its Powers and Functions, Authorizing the Appropriation of Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1. There is hereby created a National Historical Commission which shall be composed of a Chairman and four regular members and two ex-officio members, namely, the Director of Public Libraries and the Director of the National Museum: Provided, That the ex-officio members shall not receive any compensation and shall not have the right to vote.

Section 2. The Chairman and four members shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments. No one shall be appointed to any of these positions unless he be a citizen of the Philippines, at least thirty years old, at least a holder of a four-year college degree, and has distinguished himself in historical research and writing. The Chairman shall receive a compensation of twelve thousand pesos per annum, and the four members shall each receive eight thousand four hundred pesos per annum.

Section 3. The National Historical Commission shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Department of Education. The Chairman and the four members shall hold office during good behavior until they reach retirement age or until they shall have been incapacitated to discharge their duties effectively.

Section 4. It shall be the duty of the National Historical Commission:

Section 5. The publications and other reading materials distributed by the National Historical Commission shall be accepted by the Bureau of Post free of charge.

Section 6. The Philippine Historical Committee and the existing National Heroes Commission are hereby abolished and their functions shall be performed by the National Historical Commission. All personnel, documents, materials, equipment, and unexpected balances belonging to those agencies are hereby transferred to the National Historical Commission.

Section 7. To carry out the objectives of this Act the Department of Education is hereby empowered to designate existing agencies to implement the policies adopted and activities programmed by the National Historical Commission as stated in Section two hereof.

Section 8. The Commission, upon the recommendation of the Chairman, shall appoint such personnel as may be deemed necessary; shall fix their compensation; prescribe their duties; and establish such methods and procedures as may ensure the efficient, honest and economical administration of the provisions and purpose of this Act.

Section 9. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of five hundred thousand pesos for the operation of the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of five hundred thousand pesos for the operation of the National Historical Commission. This amount shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act of the Philippine Government next fiscal year. Any unexpected balance of the appropriation of the Commission shall be reverted to the National Treasury.

Section 10. All laws, Acts, parts of acts, executive orders and administrative regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed.

Section 11. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 19, 1965.