REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1224 - AN ACT AMENDING SECTION ONE OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED NINE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT, AS AMENDED.

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

SECTION 1. Section one of Republic Act Numbered Nine hundred thirty-eight, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Nine hundred seventy-nine, is amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. The municipal or city board or council of each chartered city and the municipal council of each municipality and municipal district shall have the power to regulate or prohibit by ordinance the establishment, Maintenance and operation of night clubs, cabarets, dancing schools, pavilions, cockpits, bars, saloons, bowling alleys, pools, and other similar places of amusement its territorial jurisdiction: Provided, however, That such places of amusement mentioned herein shall be established, maintained and/or operated within a radius two hundred lineal meters in the case of night clubs, cabarets, pavilions, or other similar places, and fifty lineal meters in the case of dancing schools, bars, saloons, billiard pools, bowling alleys, or other similar places, except cock pits, the distance of which shall be left to the discretion of the municipal or city board or council, from any public building, schools, hospitals and churches: Provided further, That no municipal or city ordinance fixing distances at which such places of amusement may he established or operated shall apply to those already licensed and operating at the time of the enactment of such municipal or city ordinance, nor will the subsequent opening of any public building or other premises from which distances shall be measured prejudice any place of amusement already then licensed and operating, but any such place of amusement established within fifty lineal meters from any school, hospital or church shall be so constructed that the noise coming therefrom shall not disturb those in the school, hospital or church, and, if such noise causes such disturbance then such place of amusement shall not operate during school hours when near a school, or at night when near a hospital, or when there are religious services when near a church: Provided, furthermore, That no minor shall be admitted to any bar, saloon, cabaret, or night club employing hostesses: And provided, finally, That this Act shall not apply to establishments operating by virtue of Commonwealth Act Numbered Four hundred eighty-five nor to any establishment already in operation when Republic Act Numbered Nine hundred seventy-nine took effect."

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, May 17, 1955.