Preamble
WHEREAS, one of the major goals of the government is to establish a more enlightened and humane correctional system that will promote the reformation of offenders and thereby reduce the incidence of recidivism; WHEREAS, the confinement of all offenders in prisons and other institutions with rehabilitation programs constitutes an onerous drain on the financial resources of the country; and WHEREAS, there is a need to provide a less costly alternative to the imprisonment of offenders who are likely to respond to individualized, community-based treatment program; 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 following: