Preamble
WHEREAS, environmental pollution and contamination are increasing at an alarming rate; WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to prevent, mitigate or eliminate the increasing damages to marine resources as a result of pollution; WHEREAS, the dangers of major oil spills are increasing with the increase of the size and number of oil tankers traversing waters close to the Philippines; WHEREAS, the Philippines is not yet fully prepared to handle major oil spills which are likely to happen in the future; 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 the establishment of a National Operations Center for Oil Pollution in the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarter.