WHEREAS, it is a tradition that bona fide
Filipino residents traders in the Sulu Archipelago and Zamboanga del
Sur by reason of geographical proximity, historical and social ties,
are from time immemorial engaged in commercial intercourse with
neighboring islands;chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
WHEREAS, majority of the people living in those areas depend upon such
trade as their principal means of livelihood and source of income;chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
WHEREAS, in order to attain the foregoing objectives it is necessary to
liberalize the procedure for entrance and clearance of cargoes and
vessels of bona fide Filipino residents who are engaged in such
trade; chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines,
by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as
Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and
pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972 and General
Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby order and
decree:cralaw:red
1. That bona fide Filipino resident traders in Sulu
Archipelago, the island of Balabac and Zamboanga del Sur who desire to
engage in trade with neighboring islands shall properly register with
the branches of the Philippine National Bank in Jolo or Zamboanga City
or their designated representatives. Said traders may sell, buy, barter
or trade any merchandise, goods or articles except those which are
contraband or prohibited by the Tariff and Customs Code, as amended, or
those which are banned by special laws and regulations, the value of
which does not exceed Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) per trip, not to
exceed two trips per month, with such trading houses in neighboring
islands as shall be duly approved and certified by the Philippine
National Bank. The registry list containing the names of authorized
traders and trading houses shall be transmitted to the Commander of the
Southwest Command, who is hereby empowered to coordinate all activities
and to undertake all necessary measures for the implementation of this
Decree.
2. That the formalities relative to the entrance and
clearance of traders, vessel and cargoes and military clearances shall
be required and effected at the ports of Jolo and Zamboanga City.
3. That only vessels duly registered with the
Philippine Coast Guard shall be allowed to carry, convey or transport
merchandise, goods or articles for purposes of the trade. To facilitate
the registration of vessels, the Philippine Coast guard may avail of
the services of the Philippine Constabulary and the Bureau of Customs.
4. The Monetary Board is authorized to waive the
requirements of Central Bank rules and regulations for purposes of
carrying out this trade. The Philippine National Bank shall also
undertake such measures as shall be necessary to promote the greater
participation of the banking systems in the trade areas, including the
designation of correspondent banks to pave the way for the gradual
shift from barter trade.
5. Merchandise, goods or articles imported pursuant
to this Decree shall be free of import duties or taxes when sold and
consumed either in Jolo or in an area in Zamboanga City which shall be
determined under the implementing regulations. Merchandise, goods or
articles removed or taken out from these two areas shall pay the
necessary import taxes and duties and any individual in possession of
untaxed merchandise, goods or articles outside of these two areas shall
be held liable pursuant to the provisions of existing laws.
6. The Commander of the Southwest Command shall, in
consultation with the representatives of the Philippine National Bank,
the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Coast Guard, issue the
regulations necessary to implement this Decree and shall recommend to
me the necessity of modifying this Decree after six months from the
date hereof.
All laws, decrees, rules and regulations which are inconsistent
herewith are amended or modified accordingly.
This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila,
this 9th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
seventy-three.
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