WHEREAS, our economic development program requires the
progressive and orderly exploitation of our mineral resources;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 3 (o) of Commonwealth Act No.
136, the President of the Philippines issued Executive Order No. 245
dated July 10, 1970, prescribing the procedures for mineral prospecting
and exploitation in government reservations other than mineral
reservations;
WHEREAS, in accordance with Executive Order No. 245, Tirad
Minerals, Inc. applied and was granted, first a prospecting permit by
the Bureau of Forestry, and subsequently, an exploration permit by the
Bureau of Mines, over a certain parcel of the Central Cordillera Forest
Reservation;
WHEREAS, various investigations and exploration works caused
to be undertaken by applicant Tirad Mineral, Inc. and verified by the
Bureau of Mines, revealed that the applied areas contain mineral
deposits which may be commercially exploited;
WHEREAS, applicant Tirad Minerals, Inc., after having
complied with the requirements under Executive Order No. 245, now
requests the exclusion of the applied area from the forest reservations;
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 and order that a parcel of land within
the Central Cordillera Forest Reservation established under Proclamation
No. 217 dated February 16, 1929, be excluded from the operation of
said Proclamation and hereby award the development,
exploitation and utilization of the minerals therein to Tirad Minerals,
Inc., subject to existing rights, if any there be, and to existing
policies, laws, rules and regulations pertinent thereto, which parcel of
land is particularly described as follows:
Beginning at Point 1, which is S 50°06' W. 6204.54 meters from
Triangulation Station "Sicapoo", Municipality of Dingras, Province of
Ilocos Norte (latitude 18°00' 52.258"-30,000.00; longitude 120°56'
15.328"-30,000.00) ; thence Due South, 3600.00 meters to Point 2; thence
Due West, 4500.00 meters to Point 3; thence due North; 3600.00 meters
to Point 4; thence due East, 4500.00 meters to Point 1; which is the
point beginning, containing an area of 1,620.00 hectares, more or less,
as indicated in the attached Plan of Boundary Survey.
Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of March in the year of
Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-six.
(Sgd.)
FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.)
JUAN C. TUVERA
Presidential Assistant