Preamble
WHEREAS, it is the primary concern of the government to develop an orderly and effective system of local water utilities, particularly in the area of water supply and sewerage services; WHEREAS, under Presidential Decree No. 198, the Government declared as a national policy the local operation and control of water systems; authorized the formation of local water districts; provided for the administration of such districts, and chartered a national administration to facilitate improvement of local water utilities; WHEREAS, there is need to amend certain provisions of Presidential Decree No. 198 in order to hasten and make more effective the implementation and administration of the program of total development and expansion of domestic water systems; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree the amendment of Presidential Decree No. 198, as follows: