Republic Act No. 397

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

Section 1

Such portion or portions of the public domain not exceeding ten thousand hectares as may be determined as hereinafter provided are hereby granted and ceded to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines to be held and administered as a permanent endowment for additional support and maintenance of said Corporation.

Section 2

The National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines is hereby empowered to designate, by resolution, the site or sites in the different provinces of the Philippines which are to be allocated for the purposes of this Act and to transmit the same to the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources. If the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources is satisfied that the lands thus designated are unreserved, unoccupied or unapplied for under the Public Land Laws, and are suitable for the purposes of this Act, he shall cause the survey of said lands by the Bureau of Lands, the cost of such survey of said lands to be borne by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. On the completion of the survey of each site, the same shall be deeded, conveyed, and transferred to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines by the Director of Lands.

Section 3

The control and administration of these land grants are hereby vested permanently in the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines: Provided, However, That said control and administration shall not empower said Board to sell or alienate all or any positions of these lands without the previous consent of the Congress of the Philippines, but otherwise, it may perform any act or enter into any contract regarding the same, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of the Public Land Law and the Corporation Law.

Section 4

All incomes, receipts, and profits derived from the administration of these land grants shall form part of the general fund of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and be subject to appropriation by the National Executive Board of said corporation and devoted only for the purposes for which said Corporation was established.

Section 5

Such portion or portions of the lands herein granted which are not developed, cultivated, leased, or otherwise disposed of, after the lapse of twenty years from the date in which such lands have been deeded, conveyed and transferred in accordance with this Act, shall revert to the public domain and shall be open for settlement and disposition in accordance with the Public Land Act.

Section 6

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 18, 1949.