Presidential Decree No. 619 (PD 619) — Authorizing the Classification, Reservation and Development of Any Lands of the Public Domain into a Grazing Reserve for Large-Scale Ranching Projects.
WHEREAS, self-sufficiency in food, particularly beef, is one
of the primary concern of the State;
WHEREAS, beef production is still low, despite the existence
of numerous pasture leases all over the country;
WHEREAS, in order to increase the supply of beef, it is
necessary to embark on large-scale ranching projects over wide grazing
lands;
WHEREAS, the Constitution authorizes the determination by
law of the size of lands of the public domain which may be developed,
held or acquired by, or leased to, any qualified individual,
corporation, or association, taking into account conservation,
ecological, and developmental requirements of the natural resources;
WHEREAS, the Constitution established area limitations for
alienable lands of the public domain, namely: agricultural, industrial
or commercial, residential, and resettlement lands, and for timber or
forest lands, but not for mineral and grazing land, and such other
classes of lands as may be provided by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution,
do hereby decree and order:
SECTION 1. The President of the Philippines upon the
recommendation of the Secretary of Natural Resources shall determine,
define, designate, and reserve any lands of the public domain of any
classification, as grazing lands or large-scale ranching projects.
SEC. 2. If, in his opinion, the public interest and the
purpose of the grazing reservation so require, the Secretary of Natural
Resources may recommend to the President such areas not available for
any kind of public land disposition or alienation, logging operations,
or mining exploration or exploitation.
SEC. 3. The Secretary of Natural Resources may enter into a
special lease-development agreement with any qualified Filipino citizen
or corporation, sixty percent (60%) of the capital stock of which is
owned and controlled by Filipino citizens, for the development of areas
so reserved into suitable grazing lands and the utilization thereof for
large-scale ranching projects.
SEC. 4. No individual or private corporation may held
grazing reserved in excess of 50,000 hectares.
SEC. 5. The Secretary of Natural Resources may authorize the
developer-lessee to enter into a service contract with any foreign
entity for financial, technical, management, or other forms of
assistance, for the development and utilization of the authorized area.
SEC. 6. The Secretary of Natural Resources shall clear
grazing reserves of settlers and occupants, reimburse them for their
improvements and livestock, and resettle them to suitable relocation
sites.
SEC. 7. The initial sum of FIVE MILLION PESOS
(P5,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated out of the General Fund for the
above purposes: Provided, That the Department of Natural
Resources, or the agencies under the said Department, with prior
approval of the Secretary of the Department, may use saving in the
appropriations, or any portion of such appropriations as well as any
fund allocated to it, for the foregoing purposes.
SEC. 8. The Secretary of Natural Resources shall issue the
necessary rules and regulations to implement this Decree.
SEC. 9. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
provisions thereof inconsistent with this Decree are hereby modified or
repealed accordingly.
SEC. 10. This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 20th day of December, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.
(Sgd.)
FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.)
ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
