Legislation, Executive Orders, Court Decisions

Title

Creator

Janda, Robert

Language

English

Source

The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume XXVII (Issue No.5) May 1951

Year

1951

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

May, 1951 AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL 169 January 26, 1951. In addition, the local excise tax on foreign exchange amounting to 17% and the increase in the local sales tax amounting to 25%, have meanwhile become effective, so that in some instances the ceiling prices of Executive Order No. 373 are actually below today’s landed costs. Failure to adjust these local ceiling-prices in accordance with increased costs to importers, has only served to create an atmosphere conducive to black-market operations. It is .to be hoped that Prisco will re-align its price-ceilings in the near future so as to remove at least one of the many factors which have contributed to the increase in the prices of essential clothing items for con sumers in this market . Legislation, Executive Orders, and Court Decisions By Robert J and a Ross, Selph, Carrascoso & 'Janda DURING the past month the Philippine Congress enacted three bills of importance to the business com munity which have been approved by the President. Republic Act 604 appropriates the sum of ?50,000,000 as the Counterpart Fund under the EC A Program. Republic Act 608 extends the Price Control Law until June 30, 1952, unless sooner terminated by proclamation of the President of the Philippines .or by concurrent resolution of Congress, and modifies the procedures for enforcing the law. Republic Act 602, to be effective as of August 13, 1951, provides for the payment of a minimum wage of P4 a day in Manila and its environs and ?3 a day elsewhere for the first year, thereafter ?4 a day when the employee is employed in enterprises other than agriculture. Agri cultural enterprises subject to the act are required to pay for the first year Pl.75 a day, for the second year P2.00, and for the third year and thereafter P2.50 a day. The Act sets up a procedure for setting higher mini mum wages in any industry upon action originated by the Secretary of Labor in his o\vn discretion or mandatorily by the Secretary of Labor upon petition of six or more employees in any industry. The Secretary acts by estab lishing a Wage Board composed of two representatives of employees in the industry, two representatives of the employers, and a member representing the public. After a hearing they make recommendations as to a minimum wage for the industry to the Secretary, which recommend ation must be made within 30 days. Upon the filing of their report, the Secretary gives notice to interested parties and conducts a public hearing on the report within 15 days. After the hearing the Secretary may either accept or refuse the report but may not modify it. If the report is accepted ★ LUZON STEVEDOIIING COMPANY, IJIC. Manila ★ CAPTURED! ★ Via Letterpress ★ And our printing know-how of over 50 years! Jnneitinenti HALL, PICORNELL, ORTIGAS & CO. Members MANILA STOCK EXCHANGE 201 Ayala Bldg. Tels. Manila (26679 COLOR WORK VIRKOGRAPHING OR GENERAL PRINTING GIVE THE JOB TO US — NOTE THE DIFFERENCE! Color work is our specialty MLLOGGH PRimG CO. PRINTING HEADQUARTERS SINCE 1899 (A Division of Philippine Education Co.) 1104 Castillejos, Quiapo, Manila Tel. 3-24-70 170 AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL May, 1951 IMPORTERS EXPORTERS Keep Your Costs Down — Use Pasig River Bodegas GENERAL BONDED WATERFRONT WAREHOUSES Accessible by WATER or LAND Low Storage and Insurance Rates Lighterage Service 145 M. de Binondo Tel. 2-63-10 the Secretary, by order, provides that no person engaged in the industry investigated may pay lower wages than those recommended. The Act provides that there may be a differentiation in wages between one locality and another. An appeal to the Supreme Court lies from the order of the Secretary upon questions of law, the findings of fact of the Secretary, when supported by substantial evi dence, being made conclusive. The Act contains other provisions relating to pay ment of wages in legal currency directly to the employee, notification of the employee of the terms of his contract and his rights under the law, and various provisions for administering and enforcing the Act. 't’he Supreme Court, on April 28, 1951, handed down A its decision in the case of Legarda vs. Miaihle wherein the Court upheld an agreement made for valuable consid eration not to pay a pre-war obligation during the Ja panese occupation. Of basic importance to the business community, however, was the dicta of the Court indicating it would have upheld as valid a consignation in court of a sum in military currency paying a pre-war obligation contracted and payable in Philippine currency. The Court also upheld as unenforceable during the occupation a provision in the contract allowing the creditor the right to require payment in British currency. Philippine Safety Council By Frank S. Tenny Executive Director .FFICERS for the next twelve months were elected by the Board of iDirectors of the Philippine Safety Council at a special meeting held on April 22. They are: ELECTRIC POWER DOES ALL THE WORK WHEN YOU W,TH * VAI E WORKSAVER I ALE ELECTRIC LIFT TRUCK THE WORKSAVER lifts and travels by electric power— reduces material handling to little more than a "stroll and steer”operation. High-Liftmodels suck skids, skid bins and pallets in space-saving rows. If you want faster handling and lower costs, get all the facts about 7 Worksaver models: Low-Lift Platform ... Low-Lift Pallet. . . Tin Plate . . . HighLift Platform •.. High-Lift Tilt ing and Non-Tilting Fork . . . Tractor. Capacities up to 6,000 lbs., depending on type. Phone or write for complete informa tion today. THE EDWARD J. NELL COMPANY 1450 Arlegui Street Tel. 3-21-21 TOOLS THAT KEEP INDUSTRY f y . p. K ON THE MOVE . . . MADE BY \ President: Joseph A. Thomas Vice-President: Dr. Romeo Y. Atienza Secretary: Miguel Ortigas Treasurer: Francisco Delgado Executive Director: Frank S. Tenny A special committee was formed to contact the Secretary of Public Works and Communications and the Chief of the Motor Vehicles Office in regard to suggested improvements in the testing of drivers and vehi cles. Members are Executive Director Tenny, Secretary Ortigas, and Treasurer Delgado. The Executive Director was instructed to contact the M-G-M film exchange in regard to wide distribution of the current safety film, “Traffic With the Devil”, now showing in a downtown theater. Activ ities of the Fire Prevention Board were also discussed at length at the meeting. New members of the Council are the Philippine Packing Corpora tion and Gonzalo Puyat & Sons. The matter of control by the Public Service Commission over bus companies and their drivers was also discussed in detail. MOTOR SERVICE CO., II. AUTOMOTIVE PARTS • ACCESSORIES GARAGE & SHOP EQUIPMENT BATTERIES • TIRES • TUBES 230 13th St., Port Area — Tel. 3-36-21

pages

169-170

Media