MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ Proclamation No. 1572, August 18, 1976 ]
DECLARING THE EXISTENCE OF A STATE OF PUBLIC CALAMITY IN THE ISLANDS OF MINDANAO, BASILAN, SULU AND TAWI-TAWI.
WHEREAS, a series of strong earthquakes brought havoc and destruction of lives and property in the islands of Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi on the early morning of August 17, 1976;
WHEREAS, because of the devastation caused by this unusual natural phenomenon, as state of public calamity exists in the above-mentioned areas; and
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, relied and welfare agencies to carry out their objectives effectively, it is imperative that a state of calamity be proclaimed;
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 the islands of Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. 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 of life at prices exceeding those fixed or may be fixed by proper authorities pursuant to existing laws 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 National Disaster Coordinating Center (NDCC) 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 NDCC 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.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 18th day of August in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-six.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA
Presidential Assistant
The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation
