Preamble
WHEREAS, the total efforts being exerted by the Government to encourage and accelerate the development of our mineral resources is sometimes snagged or hampered by the difficulties and delays in securing surface rights under existing laws and regulations for the entry into private lands for purposes of prospecting, location, exploration, development and exploitation of mining claims, due to the frequent and, at times, unreasonable objections on the part of owners and occupants of private lands; WHEREAS, it is desirable that there should be incentives and encouragement given to surface right owners and occupants to grant the necessary entry permit for mineral prospecting, location, exploration, development, and exploitation; and WHEREAS, in order to achieve full and accelerated mineral resources development and to provide necessary protection to private land owners and occupants, a new system of surface rights acquisition and use by mining prospectors and claimants has to be provided. NOW, THEREFORE, I FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order as part of the law of the land the following: