WHEREAS, the Constitution of the Philippines, mandates that the "State shall establish, maintain and ensure adequate social services in the field of x x x housing x x x to guarantee the enjoyment of the people of a decent standard of living" and directs that "The State shall promote social justice to ensure the dignity, welfare and security of all the people" and x x x "shall regulate the acquisition, ownership, use and enjoyment and disposition of private property and equitably diffuse property ownership and profit''; WHEREAS, Letters of Instructions Nos. 555 and 557 declared as a national policy that slum improvement, otherwise known as upgrading of sites and services, is an acceptable approach to meeting the housing needs of the country and the primary strategy for dealing with slums, squatter areas and other blighted communities in urban centers;
WHEREAS, in compliance with the aforecited Letters of Instructions, the Governor of Metro Manila under Executive Order No. 6-77 has adopted a Zonal Improvement Program (ZIP) which addresses the problem of 251 identified slums and other blighted communities in Metro Manila;
WHEREAS, the Tambunting area in Metro Manila is a blighted community included in the 251 sites for upgrading under the ZIP;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1517 proclaiming urban land reform in the country, the entire Metropolitan Manila area has been declared under Proclamation No. 1893 as an urban land reform zone; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1517, in cases where the tenants and occupants of urban properties declared as urban land reform areas are unable to purchase the same from the owners, the Government shall acquire the lands and improvements thereon by expropriation or other land acquisition techniques.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution do hereby decree as part of the law of the land that: