SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of Commerce and Communications to foster air commerce in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and for such purpose:
To encourage the establishment of air ports, civil airways and other navigation facilities.
To make recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources as to necessary establishment of meteorological facilities.
To study the possibilities for the development of air commerce and the aeronautical industry and trade in the Philippine Islands, and to collect and disseminate information relative thereto and also as regards the existing state of the art.
To request the Bureau of Science, the Weather Bureau, and other agencies in the Executive Branch of the Government to assist in carrying on such researches and development work as tend to improve air navigation facilities. The Secretary of Commerce and Communications is authorized to transfer funds available for carrying out the purposes of this subdivision to any such agency or agencies engaged in such research and development work in cooperation with the Department of Commerce and Communications.
To investigate, record, and make public the causes of accidents in civil air navigation in the Philippine Islands.
To exchange with foreign governments, through existing governmental channels, information pertaining to civil air navigation.
SEC. 3. To aid the Secretary of Commerce and Communications and to assist in the performance of the functions vested in him under this Act, there shall be employed an expert in aeronautics, who shall be appointed by the Governor-General with the consent of the Senate. The said expert shall receive as compensation a per diem to be fixed by the Secretary of Commerce and Communications with the approval of the Governor-General. To qualify for such appointment, this expert must: (a) have successfully passed the examination for aeronautical inspector or higher office under the Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce of the United States; or (b) hold or have held a commission as an officer in the aviation forces of the United States; or (c) be an aeronautical engineer who has successfully passed such examination as shall immediately after the passage of this Act be prescribed by the Bureau of Civil Service of the Philippine Islands.
SEC. 4. Except as otherwise specifically provided, the Secretary of Commerce and Communications shall administer and enforce the provisions of this Act, including air traffic rules promulgated herein or hereafter enacted, and for such purpose is authorized:
To make such regulations as are necessary to execute the functions vested in him by this Act.
To issue or revoke licenses for pilots, for approved types of aircraft for operation in the Philippine Islands, and for structural modification or repair of such aircraft.
To incur such expenditures for personal services, and for books of reference and periodicals as may be necessary for such administration and as may be provided by the Philippine Legislature from time to time.
To publish from time to time a bulletin setting forth such matters relating to the functions vested in him by this Act as he deems advisable, including air navigation treaties, laws and regulations and decisions thereunder.
To operate and, for this purpose, to acquire, within the limits of the available appropriation hereafter made by the Philippine Legislature such aircraft and air navigation facilities as are necessary for executing the functions vested in the Secretary of Commerce and Communications by this Act.
