Presidential Decree No. 726 (PD 726) — Authorizing the National Grains Authority to Determine and Import Exclusively the Annual Wheat Grain Requirements of the Country, and for Other Purposes.
WHEREAS, at present the wheat requirements of the country
is determined by private wheat importers, a situation which fosters an
unrealistic assessment of the country's needs thereby triggering an
increasing trend in the prices of wheat products to the detriment of the
people;
WHEREAS, wheat is a good staple substitute which
may be utilized in times of acute shortages in rice provided that prices
of wheat products are stabilized;
WHEREAS, effective price stabilization at minimum cost
requires the coordination of policies on the importation of not only
rice and corn but other grains as well, more particularly, wheat.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution,
do hereby decree and order, and make as part of the law of the land the
following:
SECTION 1. Any provision of law, order or regulation to the
contrary notwithstanding, the National Grains Authority (NGA) shall have
the authority to determine and import exclusively, from whatever source
abroad, the annual wheat grain requirements of the country; Provided,
That, the NGA shall include wheat grain in its total grains policy in
coordination with the rice and corn policies; and Provided, That, the
NGA shall have the authority to negotiate, for and on behalf of the
Government of the Republic of the Philippines, the importation of wheat
grains on a government-to-government basis; and Provided, Further, that
the importation of wheat grains shall be exempted from customs duties,
taxes and other charges.
SEC. 2. As soon as the NGA has procured the first
importation of sufficient quantities of wheat grains, and determined
that it can continue and maintain such importation to meet the annual
requirements of the country, it shall accordingly make a formal
declaration to that effect by publishing such declaration in a newspaper
of general circulation once a week for two consecutive weeks. Effective
on the day after the last day of such publication, and except only as
to those private importation covered by procurement contracts entered
into and perfected prior to the aforesaid day, the importation of wheat
grains by private persons or entities shall thenceforth be prohibited.
Thereafter, the wheat grain requirements of the private flour millers,
as well as other users, shall be secured from the NGA. The NGA shall
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to govern the allocation
of wheat grains.
SEC. 3. Any provision of law, decree, order or regulation
inconsistent or contrary with the provisions of this decree are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 4. This decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 5th day of June, in the year of
Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.
(Sgd.)
FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic 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).
