Preamble
WHEREAS, by virtue of the provisions of Commonwealth Act numbered 485 the franchise to operate and maintain a fronton for the Basque pelota and similar games of skill in the City of Manila, shall expire on October, 1975 whereupon the ownership of the land, buildings and improvements used in the said game will be transferred without payment to the government by operation of law; WHEREAS, there is a pressing need not only to further develop the game as a sport and amusement for the general public but. also to exploit its full potential in support of the government's objectives and development programs; WHEREAS, Basque pelota is a game of international renown, the maintenance and promotion of which will surely assist the tourism industry of the country; WHEREAS, the tourism appeal of the game will be enhanced only with the government's support and inducement in developing the sport to a level at par with international standards; WHEREAS, once such tourism appeal is developed, the same will serve as a stable and expanding base for revenue generation for the government's development projects. NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, hereby decree as follows: