Preamble
WHEREAS, the sound and balanced development of the economy requires the expansion and sustained growth of export trade, the attainment of which necessitates the trading sector's assumption of a leading and more innovative role in improving the country's export performance; WHEREAS, this role requires that trading firms develop and extend their functional coverage to include expanded bulk trading, adequate and reliable sources of supply, worldwide market networks, trade and production financing, risk absorption, and other innovative functions needed to improve trade leverage; WHEREAS, this lead role further requires that trading firms provide the vehicle for developing the markets for non-traditional export products particularly of small and medium-scale industries; WHEREAS, the undertaking of these functions and activities require that trading firms be organized with a sufficiently large capital base, and be geared towards large-scale and integrated trading operations; WHEREAS, to accelerate and assist the organization and development of such trading firms, there is need to prescribe performance-based incentives and provide institutional support for their operations; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree: