[1946 RA 1] AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES BEGINNING JULY FIRST, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX UNTIL THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVEN IS APPROVED

(3) For the rates in Grade 8: P40 (4) For the rates in Grade 7: P35 (5) For the rates in Grade 6: P30 (6) For the rates in Grade 5: P25 (7) For the first rate in Grade 4: P15 Provided, however, That no employee receiving salary other than any of the rates prescribed for the corresponding grade in which the said salary falls shall be given less than the salary, including bonus, of another employee in the next lower rate: Provided, further, That the bonuses to be given to employees whose salaries are chargeable against special funds shall be paid out of such funds: And provided, finally, That the President may, at any time during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and forty- seven, order the reduction of the rates of bonuses authorized herein or suspend or otherwise stop the payment thereof whenever, in his judgment, the public interest so requires, but in case of reduction, the same shall be general and the reduction shall be uniform for similar rates of bonus P38,000,000.00 Section 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of section one hereof. - (a) No expenditure shall be authorized from the appropriations provided for the following purposes under Commonwealth Act Numbered Seven hundred and twenty-three: Item 5, page 35, P5,265; item 8, page 35, P160,095; item 10, page 35, P75,000; item 12, page 36, P22,500; item 18, page 40, P37,500; item 16, page 101, P17,310; item 7, page 238, P18,750; item 2, page 444, P7,035; item 4, page 445, P60,000; item 2, page 470, P5,000,000; item 2, page 475, P3,000,000; and item 3, page 475, P10,000,000. (b) Of the appropriations authorized under Commonwealth Act Numbered Seven hundred and twenty-three for the Office of the Resident Commissioner of the Philippines to the United States, only so much thereof as corresponds to a period of one month shall be available for further expenditure beyond June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and forty-six. Any officer or employee of the Office of the Resident Commissioner of the Philippines to the United States who, after July thirty-first, nineteen hundred and forty-six, may not be reemployed in, or reassigned to, any other branch of the Philippine Government either at home or abroad on or before August thirty-first, nineteen hundred and forty-six, shall be considered retired and may be paid gratuity chargeable against the appropriation authorized under the Office of the President in item (d), section 3 of this Act, at the rate of one-half month's pay for every year of continuous service prior to separation, but not exceeding six months, and return transportation to the Philippines in kind if availed of not later than December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and forty-six: Provided, That any officer or employee who, having received retirement gratuity under the provisions hereof, is recalled to the service prior to the expiration of the gratuity period, shall refund the gratuity corresponding to the unexpired portion of the said period from the date of such recall, irrespective of whether or not the same is accepted by such officer or employee. Section 5. This Act shall take effect on July first, nineteen hundred and forty-six, unless otherwise stated, and shall continue in force until the General Appropriation Act for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and forty-seven is approved: Provided, however, That upon the approval of the said General Appropriation Act, such expenses as may actually have been incurred by authority of this Act chargeable to appropriations for which corresponding appropriation items shall be provided in the General Appropriation Act for the fiscal year 1946-1947, shall be charged against such appropriation items in the said General Appropriation Act for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and forty-seven. Section 6. The provisions of Commonwealth Act Numbered Seven hundred and twenty-three, except Section 5(1) thereof, page 477, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby re-enacted and made parts hereof. Approved: July 15, 1946