Presidential Decree No. 748 (PD 748) — Amending Presidential Decree No. 187 to Extend the Date for the Use of the Metric System as the Sole Standard of Weights and Measures in the Philippines and for Other Purposes.
WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 187 prescribed the metric
system as the sole standard of weights and measures to be used
throughout the Philippines starting January 1, 1975 for all products,
commodities, materials, utilities, services and in all business and
legal transactions;
WHEREAS, while metric conversion is already being done in
areas where it is readily feasible, many industrial, agricultural,
trade, educational and other economic, social and cultural sectors
require more time to adjust their machinery, equipment, inventories,
supplies, products, operational, administrative and marketing systems;
WHEREAS, metrication involves not merely conversion from the
English and other systems of weights and measures to the metric system
but also standardization in metric packaging patterns for better
consumer protection and facility in manufacturing and international and
domestic trading;
WHEREAS, it is desirable to effect such reforms in our way
of life in an expeditious but orderly and inexpensive manner;
WHEREAS, there is need to extend the operations of the
Metric System Board and to provide adequate administrative, financial
and other support for country-wide metrication;
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 the following amendments to Presidential
Decree No. 187:
SECTION 1. Section two of Presidential Decree No. 187 is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 2. Creation of Metric System Board.—In order
to effect the orderly change from the English and other systems of
weights and measures to the metric system, a Metric System Board,
hereinafter referred to as Board, is hereby created, which shall be
composed of the Secretary of Trade as Chairman, and the Secretary of
Agriculture, Secretary of Natural Resources, Secretary of Finance,
Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications, Secretary
of Education and Culture, Secretary of Justice, Secretary of Industry,
Secretary of Health, Secretary of Local Government and Community
Development, Secretary of Public Highways, Secretary of National
Defense, Secretary of Public Information, Director General of the
National Economic and Development Authority, and the Chairman of the
National Science Development Board as members. The department
undersecretaries, and the board vice-chairman concerned shall serve as
alternates; Provided, however, that a member may designate
another official to represent him on the Board and serve as Chief Staff
Metrication Officer of the department or office concerned. The chairman
and members, or their alternate or representative on the Board in the
absence of their principal, shall be entitled to a per diem of two
hundred pesos for every board meeting they actually attended."
SEC. 2. Paragraph (b), (c) and (d) of Section three of the
same decree are hereby amended to read as follows:
"b. Draw up a program, after consultation with the private
sector, for the nation-wide use of the metric system and standard metric
packaging patterns, including the respective starting and completion
dates, in the different agricultural, commercial, industrial, utilities,
scientific, services and other sectors; Provided. That the
metric system shall be fully adopted in all sectors throughout the
Philippines by January first, nineteen hundred and seventy-seven; Provided,
however, that for financial, technological and other reasons, the
Board may grant extensions in highly meritorious cases. The Board shall
consider the need to provide adequate time for the modification of
existing devices or acquiring new devices in conformity with the metric
system and the need to disseminate widely information on the metric
system, the metric conversion programs and implementing rules and
regulations;
"c. Promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation
hereof, and, after approval thereof by the President of the Philippines,
widely disseminate the same to all government offices and
instrumentalities and the general public, including
publication once for three consecutive weeks in at least three
newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines;
"d. Appoint personnel from division chief level and above,
preference to be given to qualified persons who were laid off from the
government service as a result of reorganization; Provided, that
professional, highly technical and executive personnel maybe employed
under such terms and conditions as the Board or the Chairman may
prescribe."
SEC. 3. Section four of the same decree is hereby amended to
read as follows:
"SEC. 4. Metrication Director and Secretariat.—
"a. The Board, upon recommendation of the Chairman, shall appoint
a Metrication Director who shall direct and supervise technical staff
studies on metrication and oversee and coordinate implementation of duly
approved programs. He shall be a citizen of the Philippines, at least
thirty-five years of age, of recognized executive ability, with broad
educational background and adequate experience in senior level
management, business, economics and/or technology. He shall receive an
annual salary of forty thousand pesos and a monthly allowance of
one thousand pesos.
"b. The Director of the Philippines Bureau of Product Standards
shall serve as Executive Secretary of the Board. The Chairman may
request for the detail to the Board Secretariat of personnel from other
government offices and instrumentalities, which are hereby enjoined to
extend all the necessary assistance to the Board."
SEC. 4. Section five of the same decree is hereby amended to
read as follows:
"SEC. 5. Appropriation.—The sum of five hundred
thousand pesos (P500,000.00) is hereby appropriated out of any funds in
the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the expenses of
the Board for fiscal year nineteen hundred and seventy-six, the special
budget for which shall be subject only to approval by the Board. The
appropriation for the Board shall be included and programmed in the
annual national budget for the succeeding fiscal years."
SEC. 5. Effectivity. This Decree shall take effect
upon its approval. The Metric System Board shall cease to exist by June
thirty, nineteen hundred and seventy-nine.
Repealing clause.
SEC. 6. Repealing clause.—The provisions of any
laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are
hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Done in the City of Manila, this 16th day of July, 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).
