Preamble
WHEREAS, the acquisition, organization and preservation of a nation's intellectual and cultural heritage is a prime duty of the State; WHEREAS, the cultural heritage of the Filipino nation is manifested in, among others, a comprehensive national bibliography, the principal basis of which are the published and printed materials or legal deposit; WHEREAS, these legal deposit materials are of great value to readers, researchers, and scholars; WHEREAS, there also exists an imperative need to preserve published and printed materials for posterity, and against unforeseen events and calamities such as fires, earthquakes, floods; or wars that may cause untold destruction to our national culture; and WHEREAS, it is believed that the best way of accomplishing these purposes is to provide that certain government libraries be made recipients and depositories of copies of such published and printed materials; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution, do hereby decree, order and make as part of the law of the land the following measures: