Preamble
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Meat Inspection Commission are charged with the vital function of protecting the lives of economic animals and the health of the people in the country. WHEREAS, economic animals constitute an important part of the basic food industries of the Philippines and without proper protection such industry as a whole may suffer; WHEREAS, the health of the people should be protected at all times; WHEREAS, it has been observed due to the shortage of veterinarians in the country, coupled with the low salary level allocated to veterinary positions in the Bureau of Animal Industry and in the National Meat Inspection Commission, the veterinarians of the country have become too timid to accept positions in these agencies as a result of which such agencies have been handicapped in the execution of their role in the Government's food production campaign; and WHEREAS, it is the duty of the government to provide sufficient incentives for government workers performing vital technical functions so as to encourage their stay in the service for the good of the country. NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order the following as part of the law of the land: