Preamble
WHEREAS, on 10 September 1981, the Philippine Coconut Authority, in implementation of a Cabinet decision, suspended the collection of the Coconut Consumers Stabilization Fund levy, the Coconut Industry Development Fund levy, and the assessments on exporters of coconut products, all as authorized by PD 1468 and PD 1699; WHEREAS, the suspension of he collections thereof triggered a sharp decline of the prices of coconut products in the world market and has been translated by market forces into a severe depression of copra farmgate prices to the extreme prejudice of the coconut farmers; WHEREAS, the drastic decline of prices and the uncertainties of the situation have wrought havoc on the lives of more than sixteen million Filipinos who are directly or indirectly dependent for their source o9f livelihood on the coconut industry; WHEREAS, the abrupt termination of the adequate and continuous source of financing of the different socio-economic and developmental projects for the benefit of the coconut farmers, such as the replanting, free insurance, scholarship and coconut industry rationalization program, have created serious doubts in the minds of the beneficiaries as to the sincerity of the Government in promoting their welfare; WHEREAS, there is now a real and imminent explosive atmosphere in the coconut industry which is being seized upon by the subversives and other elements of society as a potent weapon to erode and destroy the confidence of the citizenry in the Government; and WHEREAS, the Philippine Coconut Producers Federation, the only recognized association of coconut farmers composed of 964,496 members throughout the country, in a formal convention passed a resolution urgently requesting the President to immediately exercise his legislative powers pursuant to Amendment No. 6 of the 1973 Constitution, considering that the Batasang Pambansa is not in session and the daily deteriorating situation in the coconut industry has resulted in practically total stagnation and immobility since there is virtually no purchase by any of the usual brokers and dealers nor by the millers and exporters; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the laws, do hereby decree and order the following: