Preamble
WHEREAS, the overseas employment development of the Government undertaken through the Ministry of Labor has generated an explosion of the presence abroad of Filipino workers, now estimated to be around 1.7 million in 107 countries of the world; WHEREAS, there is every indication that the overseas demand for Filipino workers would continue to increase in the coming years; WHEREAS, because of the volatile situation in many countries hosting this labor force, the Government is continually under stress in efforts to provide overseas Filipino workers adequate protection; WHEREAS, in response to the distressed conditions of many of these workers, the Government, under Letter of Instructions No. 537 issued on May 1, 1977, authorized the creation in the Ministry of Labor of a Welfare and Training Fund for Overseas Workers to be funded with contributions from overseas employers of Filipino workers; WHEREAS, it is deemed that the objectives and purposes of the Fund as set forth in LOI No. 537 can best be served by now formalizing operations into a comprehensive Welfare Fund. 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: