Presidential Decree No. 1475 (PD 1475) — Defining the Status of the Asian Institute of Aquaculture and Appropriating Funds for the Purpose.
WHEREAS, the Republic of the Philippines, on January 16,
1968, became a signatory to the Agreement establishing the Southeast Asian
Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC);
WHEREAS, the SEAFDEC Council, at its Sixth Meeting held at
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on July 3-7, 1973, approved the formal establishment of
its Aquaculture Department in the Province of Iloilo, Philippines;
WHEREAS, the SEAFDEC Council of Directors, being aware of
the vast potential of Southeast Asia and other regions for aquaculture
development, and cognizant of the urgent need of the region and other parts of
the world for highly trained manpower for aquaculture development, approved at
its Tenth Meeting held in Manila on December 5-10, 1977, the development and
implementation of the proposed Asian Institute of Aquaculture as a unit of the
SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department of Iloilo, Philippines;
WHEREAS, the establishment of the Asian Institute of
Aquaculture will provide mechanisms for the development of technical and
scientific manpower in aquaculture in Asia, particularly in SEAFDEC and ASEAN
member-countries, to hasten the development of the aquaculture resources of the
region;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby
order and decree:
SECTION 1. The Asian Institute of Aquaculture shall be
classified as a foreign institution of special character, with an inter-national
student body, faculty, management composition and control.
SEC. 2. The provisions of existing laws, decrees or
ordinances to the contrary notwithstanding, the Asian Institute of Aquaculture
shall be exempt from the payment of gift, franchise, specific, percentage, real
property and all other taxes, duties and fees provided under existing laws,
decrees or ordinances. This exemption shall extend to goods imported and owned
by the said Asian Institute of Aquaculture and to goods brought in or imported
for the personal use of foreign faculty, scientific research and professional
staff and other officials of the said Institute; Provided, however,
that this exemption is without prejudice to the collection of customs duties and
taxes on goods or articles brought or imported into the Philippines for the use
of such foreign personnel should such goods or articles subsequently be sold,
transferred or exchanged in the Philippines to persons or entities not entitled
to exemption from the said customs duties and taxes pursuant to existing laws
and regulations governing the matter.
SEC. 3. All gifts, bequests, donations and contributions
which may be received by the Asian Institute of Aquaculture from any source
whatsoever shall be exempt from the payment of taxes imposed under the National
Internal Revenue Code and all other existing laws, decrees and ordinances and
all such gifts, bequests, donations and contributions shall be considered as
allowable deductions for purposes of determining the income tax payable by the
donor. All funds received by the Asian Institute of Aquaculture shall be
receipted and disbursed in accordance with the Agreement establishing the
Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center and pertinent resolutions duly
approved by the SEAFDEC Council.
SEC. 4. Non-Filipino citizens serving on the faculty and
professional staff of the Asian Institute of Aquaculture shall be exempted from
the payment of income tax on salaries and stipends received from the said
Institute and other donor organizations.
SEC. 5. Aliens who enter the Philippines to perform their
work or study at the Asian Institute of Aquaculture shall be exempt from
restrictions imposed on immigration and other pertinent laws with respect to
quota of immigrants and duration of stay in the Philippines, as may be necessary
for the operation of the said Institute so long as they fall under the following
status: (1) officials; (2) instructors and researchers; (3) trainees; (4)
spouses; children or relatives who are dependent on and forming part of the
household of, those in (1) and (2).
SEC. 6. To carry out this project, there is hereby
appropriated the sum of Ten Million (P10 M) Pesos out of any funds in the
National Treasury not otherwise appropriated as contribution of the Republic of
the Philippines, as host Government, to the Asian Institute of Aquaculture for
its capital outlay requirements and local operating costs for CY 1978;
thereafter, an annual contribution of Five Million (P5 M) Pesos for the said
Institute is hereby appropriated for a period of five years beginning CY
1979.
SEC. 7. This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 11th day of June, in the year of Our Lord,
nineteen hundred and seventy-eight.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the
Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA
Presidential
Assistant
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
