Proclamation No. 1549




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ Proclamation No. 1549, May 24, 1976 ] DECLARING THE EXISTENCE OF A STATE OF PUBLIC CALAMITY IN METROPOLITAN MANILA AND IN THE PROVINCES AND CITIES OF LUZON, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PROCLAMATION NO. 1548, DATED MAY 20, 1976. WHEREAS, continuous heavy and torrential rains and overflowing rivers and streams brought about by typhoon “Didang”, have resulted in the inundation of large portions of Metropolitan Manila, and many provinces and cities of Luzon, causing loss of lives, widespread and destruction of public and private property, loss of homes to a great number of families, and posing imminent danger to the health of the people in the areas affected; WHEREAS, because of the havoc caused by this unusual natural phenomenon, a state of public calamity undoubtedly exists; WHEREAS, to prevent the excessive increase in the prices of essential commodities due to profiteering and hoarding by those who control the supply thereof and also to enable government and civic, relief and welfare agencies to carry out their objectives effectively, it is imperative that a state of calamity be proclaimed in the aforesaid areas; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by existing laws, particularly Act No. 4164 and Section 105 (V) of Republic Act No. 1937, do hereby proclaim and certify that a state of public calamity exists in Metropolitan Manila and the provinces and other cities in Luzon. During the existence of such a calamity, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation in said areas (1) to sell or offer for sale palay, rice, corn, cloth, milk, canned goods, sugar and other foodstuffs, building and construction materials and other prime necessities in life at prices exceeding those fixed or may be fixed by the authorities concerned pursuant to existing laws, namely, Act No. 4164 and Republic Act. No. 6124, and regulations issued thereunder, and (2) to aggravate the crisis by refusing, for the purpose of profiteering, to sell at the legal price, or by hiding, concealing or hoarding such goods or commodities for the same purpose. All government agencies are hereby directed to implement and execute rescue and relief operations in accordance with existing operational plans. The government rescue and relief coordinating center is hereby directed to oversee, coordinate and direct rescue and relief operations, utilizing for the purpose all available and necessary material resources, equipment and manpower of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), those of other government agencies and those that can be generated from the private sector. The government coordinating center is authorized to call upon all departments, bureaus, agencies or instrumentalities of the government, including government owned or controlled corporations, as well as the private sector, to give the necessary cooperation and assistance for the successful prosecution of this proclamation. Proclamation No. 1548 dated May 20, 1976 is hereby amended accordingly.1aшphi1 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed. Done in the City of Manila, this 24th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-six. (Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines By the President: (Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE Presidential Executive Assistant The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation