Republic Act No. 123 June 14, 1947
AN ACT PRESCRIBING THE REORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THE BUREAU OF QUARANTINE SERVICE AND PROMULGATING REGULATIONS THEREOF
Section 1. Administration of the Bureau of Quarantine Service. - The name of the Bureau of Quarantine Service shall be changed to Bureau of Quarantine and shall have the category of a first-class bureau. It shall function under the Department of Health and Public Welfare and shall be administered by the Director of Quarantine. The Director of Quarantine shall be appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.
Section 2. Jurisdiction and functions of the Bureau of Quarantine. - The examination at ports of entry and airports of entry of the Philippines of incoming and outgoing vessels and aircraft, the necessary surveillance over their sanitary conditions, as well as over their cargoes, passengers, crews, and all personal effects, and the issuing of quarantine certificates, bills of health, or other equivalent documents shall be vested in and be conducted by the Bureau of Quarantine. This Bureau...
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Republic Acts
AN ACT PRESCRIBING THE REORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THE BUREAU OF QUARANTINE SERVICE
Republic Act No. 123
Summary of Republic Act No. 123 (June 14, 1947)
Administration and Reorganization of the Bureau of Quarantine
- The Bureau of Quarantine Service is renamed as the Bureau of Quarantine, a first-class bureau under the Department of Health and Public Welfare. (Section 1)
- The Bureau of Quarantine is administered by the Director of Quarantine, appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on Appointments. (Section 1)
- The Secretary of Health and Public Welfare is authorized to reorganize the Bureau of Quarantine and promulgate rules and regulations for its operation. (Section 3)
- Officers and employees of the United States Public Health Service engaged in quarantine work in the Philippines are automatically transferred and appointed to positions in the Bureau of Quarantine, with their service considered as a continuation for determining privileges, benefits, and emoluments. (Section 3)
Jurisdiction and Functions of the Bureau of Quarantine
- The Bureau of Quarantine has authority over the examination of incoming and outgoing vessels and aircraft, their sanitary conditions, cargoes, passengers, crews, and personal effects at ports of entry and airports in the Philippines. (Section 2)
- The Bureau of Quarantine issues quarantine certificates, bills of health, or other equivalent documents. (Section 2)
- The Bureau of Quarantine has authority over incoming vessels, including those of the army and navy, both domestic and foreign, their wharfage and anchorage, and over aircraft and airports, as necessary for enforcing the provisions of this Act. (Section 2)
Rules and Regulations, Enforcement, and Penalties
- The Director of Quarantine, with the approval of the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare, is authorized to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of quarantinable diseases from foreign countries into the Philippines or from one port to another. (Section 5(a))
- The regulations may provide for inspections, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, pest extermination, destruction of infected or contaminated animals or articles, and other necessary measures. (Section 5(a))
- The regulations shall not provide for the apprehension, detention, or conditional release of individuals except for preventing the introduction, transmission, or spread of quarantinable diseases specified by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare. (Section 5(b))
- Immunization against quarantinable diseases deemed necessary by the Director of Quarantine shall be mandatory for all persons arriving at any port of entry in the Philippines. (Section 5(c))
- Rules and regulations may be prescribed for the apprehension and examination of individuals believed to be infected with a communicable disease in an infectious stage on board vessels and aircraft entering the Philippines. If found infected or exposed, they may be detained aboard a vessel, in a hospital, at a quarantine detention station, or at any place of isolation as prescribed by the regulations. (Section 5(d))
- Whenever there is imminent danger of introducing a quarantinable disease from a foreign country, the Director of Quarantine may recommend to the President, through the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare, the issuance of an executive order prohibiting, in whole or in part, the introduction of persons and properties from such countries into the Philippines. (Section 6)
- Any person who violates the regulations prescribed under sections 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, or enters or departs from the limits of any quarantine detention station, ground, or anchorage in violation of quarantine rules and regulations without permission, shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand pesos or by imprisonment of not more than one year, or both, at the discretion of the Court of competent jurisdiction. (Section 11(a))
- Any vessel or aircraft that violates any provision of this Act shall forfeit to the Government of the Philippines not more than ten thousand pesos, the amount to be determined by the Collector of Customs, which shall be made a lien on such vessel. (Section 11(b))
Quarantine Stations and Certificates
- The Director of Quarantine shall control, direct, and manage all Philippine quarantine stations, grounds, and anchorages, designating their boundaries. (Section 7)
- With the approval of the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare, the Director of Quarantine shall select suitable sites for and establish additional stations, grounds, anchorages, hospitals, dispensaries, and treatment stations as necessary to prevent the introduction of quarantinable diseases into the Philippines. (Section 7)
- Any vessel or aircraft at any foreign port or place clearing or departing for any port of the Philippines shall be required to obtain from officers designated by the Director of Quarantine such forms as may be prescribed by regulations. These certificates shall be delivered to the quarantine boarding officer at the ports of entry. (Section 8)
- It shall be unlawful for any vessel or aircraft from a foreign country to call at any seaport or airport in the Philippines, to discharge its cargo, or land its passengers except when certified by the quarantine officer that the regulations prescribed under this Act have been complied with by such vessel or aircraft. This certificate of quarantine discharge shall be a prerequisite to Customs clearance. (Section 9)
- No vessel or aircraft shall leave any seaport or airport of the Philippines without procuring a sanitary port statement certifying, among other things, compliance with quarantine laws and regulations. This certificate shall be a prerequisite to Customs clearance of outgoing vessels or aircraft. (Section 10)
Repealing Clause and Effectivity
- All provisions of sections 1130, 1131, 1132, 1133, 1134, 1135, and 1136 of the Revised Administrative Code of 1917, and all acts, rules, and regulations regarding foreign and local quarantine not consistent with this Act are hereby repealed. (Section 12)
- This Act shall take effect upon its approval. (Section 13)
Administration and Reorganization of the Bureau of Quarantine
- The Bureau of Quarantine Service is renamed as the Bureau of Quarantine, a first-class bureau under the Department of Health and Public Welfare. (Section 1)
- The Bureau of Quarantine is administered by the Director of Quarantine, appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on Appointments. (Section 1)
- The Secretary of Health and Public Welfare is authorized to reorganize the Bureau of Quarantine and promulgate rules and regulations for its operation. (Section 3)
- Officers and employees of the United States Public Health Service engaged in quarantine work in the Philippines are automatically transferred and appointed to positions in the Bureau of Quarantine, with their service considered as a continuation for determining privileges, benefits, and emoluments. (Section 3)
Jurisdiction and Functions of the Bureau of Quarantine
- The Bureau of Quarantine has authority over the examination of incoming and outgoing vessels and aircraft, their sanitary conditions, cargoes, passengers, crews, and personal effects at ports of entry and airports in the Philippines. (Section 2)
- The Bureau of Quarantine issues quarantine certificates, bills of health, or other equivalent documents. (Section 2)
- The Bureau of Quarantine has authority over incoming vessels, including those of the army and navy, both domestic and foreign, their wharfage and anchorage, and over aircraft and airports, as necessary for enforcing the provisions of this Act. (Section 2)
Rules and Regulations, Enforcement, and Penalties
- The Director of Quarantine, with the approval of the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare, is authorized to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of quarantinable diseases from foreign countries into the Philippines or from one port to another. (Section 5(a))
- The regulations may provide for inspections, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, pest extermination, destruction of infected or contaminated animals or articles, and other necessary measures. (Section 5(a))
- The regulations shall not provide for the apprehension, detention, or conditional release of individuals except for preventing the introduction, transmission, or spread of quarantinable diseases specified by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare. (Section 5(b))
- Immunization against quarantinable diseases deemed necessary by the Director of Quarantine shall be mandatory for all persons arriving at any port of entry in the Philippines. (Section 5(c))
- Rules and regulations may be prescribed for the apprehension and examination of individuals believed to be infected with a communicable disease in an infectious stage on board vessels and aircraft entering the Philippines. If found infected or exposed, they may be detained aboard a vessel, in a hospital, at a quarantine detention station, or at any place of isolation as prescribed by the regulations. (Section 5(d))
- Whenever there is imminent danger of introducing a quarantinable disease from a foreign country, the Director of Quarantine may recommend to the President, through the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare, the issuance of an executive order prohibiting, in whole or in part, the introduction of persons and properties from such countries into the Philippines. (Section 6)
- Any person who violates the regulations prescribed under sections 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, or enters or departs from the limits of any quarantine detention station, ground, or anchorage in violation of quarantine rules and regulations without permission, shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand pesos or by imprisonment of not more than one year, or both, at the discretion of the Court of competent jurisdiction. (Section 11(a))
- Any vessel or aircraft that violates any provision of this Act shall forfeit to the Government of the Philippines not more than ten thousand pesos, the amount to be determined by the Collector of Customs, which shall be made a lien on such vessel. (Section 11(b))
Quarantine Stations and Certificates
- The Director of Quarantine shall control, direct, and manage all Philippine quarantine stations, grounds, and anchorages, designating their boundaries. (Section 7)
- With the approval of the Secretary of Health and Public Welfare, the Director of Quarantine shall select suitable sites for and establish additional stations, grounds, anchorages, hospitals, dispensaries, and treatment stations as necessary to prevent the introduction of quarantinable diseases into the Philippines. (Section 7)
- Any vessel or aircraft at any foreign port or place clearing or departing for any port of the Philippines shall be required to obtain from officers designated by the Director of Quarantine such forms as may be prescribed by regulations. These certificates shall be delivered to the quarantine boarding officer at the ports of entry. (Section 8)
- It shall be unlawful for any vessel or aircraft from a foreign country to call at any seaport or airport in the Philippines, to discharge its cargo, or land its passengers except when certified by the quarantine officer that the regulations prescribed under this Act have been complied with by such vessel or aircraft. This certificate of quarantine discharge shall be a prerequisite to Customs clearance. (Section 9)
- No vessel or aircraft shall leave any seaport or airport of the Philippines without procuring a sanitary port statement certifying, among other things, compliance with quarantine laws and regulations. This certificate shall be a prerequisite to Customs clearance of outgoing vessels or aircraft. (Section 10)
Repealing Clause and Effectivity
- All provisions of sections 1130, 1131, 1132, 1133, 1134, 1135, and 1136 of the Revised Administrative Code of 1917, and all acts, rules, and regulations regarding foreign and local quarantine not consistent with this Act are hereby repealed. (Section 12)
- This Act shall take effect upon its approval. (Section 13)