COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 178 - AN ACT AMENDING SECTIONS SEVEN, FIFTEEN, TWENTY-THREE AND TWENTY-NINE OF ACT NUMBERED FOUR THOUSAND AND FIFTY-FOUR, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF TENANTS (APARCEROS) IN AGRICULTURAL LANDS DEVOTED TO THE PRODUCTION OF RICE AND TO REGULATE THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THEM AND THE LANDLORDS OF SAID LANDS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES." |
Section
1. Section seven of Act Numbered Four thousand and fifty-four, entitled
"An Act to promote the well-being of tenants (aparceros) in
agricultural lands devoted to the production of rice and to regulate
the relations between them and the landlords of said lands, and for
other purposes," is hereby amended so as to read as
follows: "Sec. 7. Rules governing
tenancy contracts. – In any contract of tenancy mentioned in this Act,
the contracting parties shall be free to enter into any or all kinds of
agreements or stipulations so long as they are not contrary to existing
laws, customs, morals and public policy, and such contract shall be
conclusive evidence of what has been agreed upon between the
contracting parties, except in case of fraud or error, if their
stipulations are not denounced or impugned within thirty days from its
registration in the office of the municipal treasurer, as provided in
section five of this Act." Section2. Section fifteen of Act Numbered Four thousand and fifty-four is hereby amended so as to read as follows: "Section 15. Use of official
weights and measures. – In all transactions entered into between
landlords and tenants on agricultural products, whether contracting a
debt or making payment thereof, the official weights and measures of
the Government shall be used." Section3. Section twenty-three of Act Numbered Four thousand and fifty-four is hereby amended so as to read as follows: "Sec. 23.Standard of conduct to be observed by tenant. – The tenant shall be
under obligation to cultivate the farm as a good father of the family,
by doing all the work necessary to obtain the greatest possible returns
from the farm entrusted to him, such as the proper preparation of the
soil, the cutting of shrubs and grasses that may be growing on the land
as well as the repair of dikes. "The tenant shall also be obliged to take reasonable care of the work animals that may be delivered to him by the landlord, necessary for the work entrusted to him; otherwise, he shall be liable for their death or physical incapacity by reason of his negligence." Section4. Section twenty-nine of Act Numbered Four thousand and fifty-four is hereby amended so as to read as follows: "Sec. 29. Final provisions. –
This Act shall be applicable to the relations between landlords and
tenants of rice lands only, and shall take effect after January first,
nineteen hundred and thirty-seven by proclamation to be issued by the
President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Secretary of
Labor, when public interests so require, in the municipalities and on
the date designated in such proclamation; and once enforced, its
effects may similarly be suspended. This Act shall be translated into
the local languages of the municipalities to which its provisions shall
apply, and a sufficient number of copies shall be printed for free
distribution by the municipal treasurer concerned to the persons asking
for them." Approved: November 13, 1936. |