AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE CHAPLAIN SERVICE AS A REGULAR COMPONENT OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES, BY AMENDING PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED TWO HUNDRED NINETY-ONE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ARMED FORCES OFFICER PERSONNEL ACT OF NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FORTY-EIGHT," AS AMENDED.

• Number: Republic Act No. 1069
• Sections: 7

Section 1

SECTION 1. Paragraphs (c), (d), and (f) of section one of Republic Act Numbered Two hundred ninety-one, otherwise known as the "Armed Forces Officer Personnel Act of Nineteen hundred and forty-eight," are hereby amended to read as follows:

"(c) Appointments of officers in commissioned officer grades below that of brigadier general in the Regular Force shall be made in the Air Force, in the Navy, in the Judge Advocate General's Service, in the Chaplain Service and in each of the several corps of the Medical Service; but otherwise they shall be made in the Regular Force without specification of branch, arm or service. Those appointed without specification of branch, arm, or service shall be assigned, and may from time to time be transferred or reassigned, by the Secretary of National Defense in the several branches, arms and services of the Regular Force, excluding the Judge Advocate General's Service, the Chaplain Service and the several corps of the Medical Service, according to the professional qualifications of the officers concerned and the needs of the branches, arms and services: Provided, That transfer to but not from the Air Force and the Navy shall be permitted.

"(d) The authorized active list of commissioned officer strength of the Air Force; of the Navy; of the Judge Advocate General's Service; of the Chaplain Service; of each of the several corps of the Medical Service; and of each of the several corps, arms and services of the Regular Force in which officers are assigned as distinguished from those in which officers are appointed, shall from time to time, be determined by the Secretary of National Defense within the authorized active list of commissioned officer strength of the Regular Force and within any limitations provided by law.

"(f) Persons now vested with office in the Regular Force in the several commissioned officer grades under appointments as officers in the several branches, arms and services, excluding those appointed in the Air Force, Navy, Judge Advocate General's Service, Chaplain Service, and the several corps of the Medical Service, shall be deemed to hold such offices under appointments in the Regular Force without specification of branch, arm or service specified in their appointments.

Section 2

SEC. 2. Paragraphs (b) (1) and (c) of section three of Republic Act Numbered Two hundred and ninety-one otherwise known as the "Armed Forces Officer Personnel Act of Nineteen hundred and forty-eight," are hereby amended to read as follows:

"(b) (1) The authorized numbers in each of the several grades in each of the several promotion lists shall be prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense by a schedule of percentages in each grade for each list, which schedule of percentages may be different for each promotion list but the numbers thus authorized in each of the several grades in each of the several promotion lists, shall not exceed in any promotion list the following percentages of the total officer strength authorized for the Armed Forces: four per centum in grade of colonel, ten per centum in grade of lieutenant-colonel, sixteen per centum in grade of major, twenty-one per centum in grade of captain, and forty-eight and one-half per centum in the combined grades of first and second lieutenants: Provided, That in the Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Judge Advocate General's Service and Chaplain Service there shall be no second-lieutenants, and the numbers authorized in the grade of first lieutenant in such promotion list shall be all those not authorized in higher grade: Provided, further, That numbers may be authorized for any grade in any promotion list in lieu of authorizations in higher grades: And provided, further, That this provision shall not operate to require a reduction in permanent grade of any officer in any promotion list now holding permanent appointment in any grade.

"(c) Promotion Lists. (1) The Regular Force promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers except officers of the Air Force, Navy, Judge Advocate General's Service, Chaplain Service, and the several corps of the Medical Service.

"(2) The Air Force promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Air Force.

"(3) The Navy promotion list shall contain the of all promotion list officers of the Navy.

"(4) The Judge Advocate General's Service promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Judge Advocate General's Service.

"(5) The Medical Corps promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Medical Corps,

"(6) The Dental Corps promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Dental Corps,

"(7) The Veterinary Corps promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Veterinary Corps.

"(8) The Medical Administrative Corps promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Medical Administrative Corps.

"(9) The Nurse Corps promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Nurse Corps.

"(10) The Chaplain Service promotion list shall contain the names of all promotion list officers of the Chaplain Service."

Section 3

SEC. 3. Paragraph (c) of section four of Republic Act Numbered Two hundred and ninety-one, otherwise known as the "Armed Forces Officer Personnel Act of Nineteen hundred and forty-eight," as amended by Republic Act Numbered Four hundred and eighty, is hereby further amended to read as follows;

"(c) Except as hereinafter authorized or unless otherwise expressly provided by law, all initial appointments of Regular Officers shall be in the grade of second lieutenant. Priority in filling vacancies in the grade of second lieutenant will be given: first, to graduates of the Philippine Military Academy or of the United States Military or Naval Academies, or Philippine Air Force or United States Air Force Flying Schools; second, to honor graduates of senior military training units in schools and colleges; third, to enlisted men who, at the time of appointment; shall have served for at least one full term of enlistment in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and have such other qualifications as may be prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense; and fourth, others shall have such qualifications as the Secretary of National Defense shall prescribe: Provided, That original Continents in the Judge Advocate General's Service, the Chaplain Service, the Medical Corps, and the Dental Corps hall be in the grade of first lieutenant from among applicants who, at the time of appointment, shall be not less than twenty-five nor more than thirty-five years of age, and in addition shall have engaged in the practice of law for at least two years, if appointment is to be made in the Judge Advocate General's Service; shall have engaged in the practice of the ministry or priesthood for at least two years, if appointment is made in the Chaplain Service; and shall have engaged in the practice of medicine or dentistry for at least two years, .if appointment is to be made in the Medical Corps or Dental Corps, as the case may be: Provided, further, That the President may appoint professors without military rank for the Military Academy, with such compensation as he may prescribe or in such commissioned grades of the Regular Force as he may determine, such professors, associate professors and assistant professors, to be carried as separate roster and in addition to the number of commissioned officers prescribed."

Section 4

SEC. 4. Paragraph (b) of section six of Republic Act Numbered Two hundred and ninety-one, otherwise known as the "Armed Forces Officer Personnel Act of Nineteen hundred and forty-eight," is hereby amended to read as follows:

"(b) Whenever there are vacancies in any promotion list in the grade of first-lieutenant and captain, officers of that list in the grade of second-lieutenant and first-lieutenant may be promoted to and appointed in the grade of first-lieutenant and captain, respectively, before completion of three years' and seven years' service, respectively: Provided, That the number of years of service required for the purpose of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, as necessary for promotion in the Air Force, Navy, Judge Advocate General's Service, Chaplain Service, and the several corps of the Medical Service, shall be as the Secretary of National Defense shall prescribe."

Section 5

SEC. 5. Paragraph (c) of section nine, Republic Act Numbered Two hundred and ninety-one, otherwise known as the "Armed Forces Officer Personnel Act of Nineteen hundred and forty-eight,” is amended to read as follows;

"(c) The President shall select from among officers in the permanent grade of brigadier-general and colonel the officer who, in his opinion, is best qualified for the office of Chief of Staff: Provided, That an officer in the permanent grade of colonel must have completed at least one year's service in said grade before being nominated or appointed to occupy the office of Chief of Staff: Provided, further, That officers appointed in the Judge Advocate General's Service, the Chaplain Service, the several corps of the Medical Service, shall not be eligible for nomination or appointment in the office of Chief of Staff."

Section 6

SEC. 6. All references to the Air Corps and Naval Patrol in the "Armed Forces Personnel Act of Nineteen hundred and forty-eight" shall, henceforth pertain to the Philippine Air Force and to the Philippine Navy, respectively.

Section 7

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 12, 1954.