Preamble
WHEREAS, there were pending before Congress prior to the promulgation of Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, certain priority measures vital to the national development program of the Government, and which were duly certified by the President as urgent measures; WHEREAS, one of these priority measures is a proposed amendment to Republic Act No. 5499, entitled "An Act Authorizing the Construction of the Upper Pampanga River Project, providing for the financing thereof and for other purposes"; WHEREAS, there is a need to grant authority to the National Irrigation Administration to undertake studies for bankable proposals to extend the benefits of the Upper Pampanga River Project to the Provinces of Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga and Bulacan by harnessing tributaries of the Pampanga River, ground water resources and other river basins; and WHEREAS, to achieve this end, and in order to alleviate the plight of the inhabitants who will be adversely affected by reservoir inundation of the Project, including the construction of this multi-purpose development project, additional funds need to be appropriated for lending to the displaced inhabitants, and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) should be authorized to administer such loans; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines and pursuant to Proclamation Order No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby adopt and make as part of the law of the land the following amendments to Republic Act No. 5499: