Preamble
WHEREAS, more recent census data on the Philippine population is required for national, social and economic planning and for the formulation if national and sectoral policies on manpower development and utilization, health, education, housing and population control, etc; WHEREAS, national censuses are the primary sources of basic data in population that could adequately meet these needs; WHEREAS, the last census of the Philippines conducted on May 6, 1970, would not truly reflect the changes brought about by recent government programs adopted to accelerate the socio-economic development of the country; WHEREAS, to provide economic planners and administrators with the data needed for national planning and to properly evaluate the progress made in various fields and measure the impact of on-going projects of the governments, as well as provide the "barangays" with the latest data on their population to effect desired changes and reforms in the social, economic and political structures within their jurisdiction, a total enumeration of the population is necessary; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby decree that a national census be undertaken in May 1975, in accordance with the plans drawn by the National Census and Statistics Office, in coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority, and such census shall cover an enumeration of the population and their economic activities.