Republic Act No. 939

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

Section 1

It is hereby granted and conceded to the Associated Steamship Lines, an association composed of various steamship lines, and doing business in the City of Manila, its successors and assigns, a temporary permit to construct, install and operate in the Philippines, and at such place as the said Associated Steamship Lines may select, subject to the approval of the Department Secretary under whose jurisdiction the Radio Control Division is functioning, or any competent authority who is or shall be authorized now, or in the future, to give said approval, a private radio station for the reception and transmission of wireless messages on radiotelephony with off-shore vessels owned by members of the said Associated Steamship Lines wherever located in Philippine waters: Provided, That the holder of the temporary permit herein granted shall start the operation thereof within one and a half years from the approval of said temporary permit.

Section 2

This temporary permit shall continue to be in force during the time that the Government has not established similar service at the places selected by the grantee.

Section 3

The Associated Steamship Lines shall not engage in domestic business of telecommunications in the Philippines, it being understood that the purpose of this temporary permit is to secure to the grantee the right to construct, install and operate a private radio station only for the trade and business of the Association.

Section 4

Any department of the Government having supervision over off-shore vessels, such as the Bureau of Customs, or Bureau of Immigration, shall have the privilege, without compensation, of using the grantee's radio station. A right is hereby reserved to the President of the Republic of the Philippines in time of war, insurrection, public peril, calamity or disaster to cause the closing of the station.

Section 5

No fees will be chargeable as the radio station that may be established by virtue of this Act shall engage in communications regarding the grantee's trade and business only.

Section 6

The grantee, its successors or assigns, shall hold the national, provincial and municipal governments of the Philippines harmless from all claims, accounts, demands or actions arising out of accidents or injuries, whether to property or to persons caused by the construction or operation of the station for reception and transmission of wireless messages by the grantee, its successors or assigns.

Section 7

The grantee, its successors or assigns, shall construct and operate its radio station as not to interfere with the operation of other radio stations maintained and operated in the Philippines.

Section 8

The grantee, its successors or assigns, is hereby authorized to operate its private station on commercial frequencies that may be assigned to it by the licensing authority, including the international distress frequency of five hundred kilocycles and the high frequency distress frequency of eight thousand two hundred and eighty kilo-cycles.

Section 9

This temporary permit shall not be interpreted to mean as an exclusive grant of the privilege herein provided for.

Section 10

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 20, 1953.