Preamble
WHEREAS, Republic Act 917, otherwise known as the Philippine Highway Act of 1953, was previously amended by Presidential Decree Nos. 17, 130 and 320, for the purpose of providing among others, road maintenance funds for national, provincial, city and municipal roads; WHEREAS, there is a need to adequately maintain Feeder or Farm-to-Market Roads, in order to facilitate the movement of goods and people, particularly agricultural products which are the life-blood of our economy; WHEREAS, the Barangays are not financially capable of providing the required counterpart fund for the Maintenance of existing and unabandoned Feeder or Farm-to-Market Roads; WHEREAS, road and bridge projects within barangay areas are generally provided with limited appropriations, and therefore necessitates assistance from the National Government, by subsidizing equipment rentals on barangay road and bridge projects where use of equipment is very necessary for the construction, improvement, and maintenance thereof; WHEREAS, it is deemed appropriate and advantageous to the local community being the direct beneficiary of these projects if barangays be given the responsibility of maintaining all feeder or farm-to-market roads within their respective areas; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, in order to accelerate further the National economic development through effective highway administration by providing adequate maintenance of Feeder or Farm-to-Market Roads, do hereby decree and order;