Republic Act No. 289

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

Section 1

To perpetuate the memory of all the Presidents of the Philippines, national heroes and patriots for the inspiration and emulation of this generation and of generations still unborn, there shall be constructed a National Pantheon which shall be the burial place of their mortal remains.

Section 2

There is hereby created a Board on National Pantheon composed of the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Public Works and Communications and the Secretary of Education and two private citizens to be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments which shall have the following duties and functions:

(a) To determine the location of a suitable site for the construction of the said National Pantheon, and to have such site acquired, surveyed and fenced for this purpose and to delimit and set aside a portion thereof wherein shall be interred the remains of all Presidents of the Philippines and another portion wherein the remains of heroes, patriots and other great men of the country shall likewise be interred;

(b) To order and supervise the construction thereon of uniform monuments, mausoleums, or tombs as the Board may deem appropriate;

(c) To cause to be interred therein the mortal remains of all Presidents of the Philippines, the national heroes and patriots;

(d) To order and supervise the construction of a suitable road leading to the said National Pantheon from the nearest national or provincial road; and

(e) To perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Section 3

The sum of one million pesos, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated to meet the initial expenses in carrying out the provisions of this Act.

Section 4

The Board is authorized to open a popular subscription during a period of time not beyond December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and fifty, to be determined by the Board, in order to raise such additional funds as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. For the purpose of raising such funds by popular subscription, the Board may appoint such committees as may be necessary.

The Board shall cause all the money thus raised by voluntary contribution to be deposited in one of the government depositories or banks in Manila and shall withdraw therefrom such sums as the need for them shall arise.

Section 5

The Board is further authorized to appoint an executive secretary, auditor and such other personnel as it may deem necessary and the compensation of which shall be fixed by said Board.

Section 6

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 16, 1948.