POLS! uF REPRESIENTATIVES
RECEIVED
6 2016
DATE: 03 a u

Republic of the Philippineq 1 ea
By ps
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila RECISTRATION UNIT
BILLS AND INOIX SERVICE

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2520

Introduced by Honorable Roger G. Mercado

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Tourism is without a doubt a potent tool for economic development. The

revenues that tourists pour unto a particular locality could be a rich source of funds
for local or national development.

If tourism will be left unattended by authorities, the economic potential thereof
could not be tapped for the benefit of everybody. National agencies task to develop

the overall national tourism potential are faced with a gargantuan job, which often
resulted in the neglect of other tourist spots.

To address this dilemma, a local agency should be created to concentrate on
developing the tourism potential of the historic Limasawa Island in Souther Leyte
where as we all know the First Mass in the Philippines was celebrated centuries ago.
The long delayed development of Limasawa Island has persisted even after years of
passing RA 7822, which mandates the development of the said place as a tourism
spot

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is hereby being eamestly sought.

La __

ROGER GAVIOLA MERCADO


Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

SEDE

HOUSE BILL NO. £229

Introduced by Honorable Roger G. Mercado

AN ACT
CREATING THE LIMASAWA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY

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

SEC. 1. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared to be the
policy of the Government to make the tourism industry a positive
instrument towards accelerated national and local development , through
which more people from other lands may visit and better appreciate the
Island of Limasawa in Southern Leyte and through which the Filipinos
themselves may learn about the natural beauty, historical and cultural
significance of the island being the site of the historic first mass in the
Philippines.

SEC. 2. Creation of Limasawa Development Authority. To
formulate and implement the tourism development program of Limasawa
Island in Southern Leyte, in line with the existing programs of the

Department of Tourism, there is hereby created a Limasawa Development


Authority, hereinafter referred to as the Authority, which shall be
attached to the Department of Tourism. The functions of the Authority

are hereby declared to be governmental.

SEC. 3. Purpose and Specific Powers, The Purpose and
Specific Powers of the Authority are as follows:

a, Implement all policies and programs of the Department of Tourism
focusing on the Island of Limasawa;

b. Collect such taxes as may be provided by law:

c. Operate and/or contract to operate such agencies, functional units,
offices and sections of the Authority as it may deemed necessary or
useful for the furtherance of any purpose of this Act;

d. Extend assistance whenever necessary to private enterprise in
undertaking tourism projects;

e. Undertake the development of tourism attractions including the
conduct of feasibility studies and where necessary, recommend
agreements for tourist plant and facilities development with private
entities;

f. Provide and maintain essential facilities for tourist and travelers
where private enterprise is not prepared to take care of them; and

g. Adopt, alter and use a corporate seal which shall be judicially
noticed; make contracts, lease, own or otherwise dispose of
personal and real property; sue and be sued; and otherwise do and
perform any and all things that may be necessary or proper to carry
out the purpose of this Act.

SEC. 4. Capitalization. The capital of the Authority shall
consist of (1) an amount to be included in the General Appropriations of


the Department of Tourism the size of which shall be determined by the
Department upon the recommendation of the Provincial Tourism Officer
with the concurrence of the district representatives, (2) taxes that the
Authority may collect such as hotel room taxes and other taxes that the
Authority is allowed to collect under existing laws and regulations and
(3) income that may accrue from joint venture investment with private

entities.

SEC. 5 Power to Bonds or Incur Indebtedness. Whenever the
Board may deem it advisable and necessary for the Authority to contract
loans, credits and other indebtedness, or to issue bonds, notes, debentures,
securities and other instrument of indebtedness for the development
and/or operation of the tourist industry, it shall by resolution so manifest
and declare stating the purpose for which the indebtedness is to be
applied and citing the project study devised for the purpose. In order for
such resolution to be valid, it shall be passed by the affirmative vote of at
least four members of the Board and approved by the President of the
Philippines upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance, after
consultation with the National Economic and Development Authority and
the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

“SEC. 6. The Authority shall be administered by a General
Manager who shall be appointed by the President from among the
persons of proven executive competence and experience in the field of

tourism development.

SEC.7. Board of Directors, The corporate power of the
Authority shall be vested in and exercised by a Board of Directors

composed of the Secretary of Tourism as Chairman, The General


Manager as the Vice Chairman and three (3) part time members who shall
be appointed by the President for their expertise.

. 8. Tenure of Office. The tenure of office of the members
shall be six years: Provided, that in the first appointments, the term of
office of the three members appointed by the President shall be fixed as
follows: one member for six years, one member for four years, and the
third for two years: Provided, finally, that no vacancy shall be filled
except for the unexpired portion of the term.

SEC. 9. Meetings and Quorum. The Board shall meet
regularly once a month and as often as the exigency of the service
demand. The presence of at least three members shall constitute a
quorum, and vote of three members shall be necessary for the adoption of

any rule, resolution or decision or any other act of the Board.

SEC. 10. Compensation of Chairman and Members Of the
Board. The members of the Board shall receive such per diems and
allowances as may be fixed by the President.

SEC. 11 Powers and Duties of the Board. The Board shall
have the following powers and duties;

a. To promulgate policies and to prescribe such rules and regulations
as may be necessary to implement the intent and provisions of this
Act, which rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days
following their publications in two (2) general newspapers of
general circulation in the Philippines;

b. To approve the annual budget and such implemental budgets which
may be submitted to it by the Chairman


c. Upon the recommendation of the General Manager, to organize,
and determine the authorities staffing pattern; to fix their salaries
and to define their powers and duties;

d. Notwithstanding the provisions of laws, rules and regulations to the
contrary, to by itself into any contracts or agreements as may be
necessary for the proper, efficient and stable administration of the
Authority and for the attainment of the purpose and the objectives
of this Act

e. To render annual reports to the President and such special reports
as may be requested; and

f. Generally, to exercise all the powers necessary or incidental to

attain the purpose of this Act.

SEC 12. General Manager: Powers and Duties. The General
Manager still have the following powers and duties:

a. To direct and manage the affairs of the Authority in accordance
with the policies of the Board;

b. To prepare the agenda for the meeting of the Board and submit for
its consideration and approval the policies and measures which he
deems necessary and proper to carry out the provisions of this Act;

c. To submit within thirty (30) days after the close of each fiscal year
an annual report to the Board and such other reports as may be
required;

d. To submit an annual budget and necessary supplemental budgets to
the Board for its approval;

e. To establish the internal organization of the Authority under such
conditions that the Board may prescribe; Provided, That any major
reorganization shall be subject to the approval of the Board; and


f. To perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the
Board,

SEC. 13. Applicability of the Civil Service Law. All Officials
and employees of the Authority, except technical and professional

personnel, shall be subject to Civil Service Law, rules and regulations.

SEC. 14. Appointment by the Board. Employees of the
Authority shall be appointed by the Board, upon the recommendation of
the General Manager, to positions in the approved budget using as guide
the standard set forth in the Civil Service Law and Rules.

SEC. 15. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,