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WHEREAS, the Medal of Valor is the highest award that may be given a Filipino soldier in recognition of conspicuous acts of gallantry above and beyond the call of duty and in total disregard of personal safety;

WHEREAS, an awardee of the Medal of Valor, for his supreme self-sacrifice and distinctive act of gallantry, performed more than ordinarily hazardous service and deserves due recognition from a grateful government and people;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended do hereby promulgate this Decree as part of the law of the land.

SECTION 1. A Medal of Valor awardee will henceforth be entitled to a lifetime monthly gratuity of TWO HUNDRED PESOS (P200.00). This gratuity is separate and distinct from any salary or pension which the awardee is currently receiving or will receive from the government of the Philippines; Provided, that in the event of the death of the awardee, the same shall accrue in equal shares and with the right of accretion to the surviving spouse until she remarries and to the children, legitimate, adopted or acknowledged until they reach the age of twenty-one (21) or are emancipated by reason of marriage.

SEC. 2. A Medal of Valor awardee, his widow and/or dependents as the case may be shall have precedence in employment in government agencies or government-owned or controlled corporations; priority in acquisition of public lands under the Public Land Act and preferential right in the lease of pasture lands and exploitation of natural resources.

SEC. 3. Notwithstanding the limitation imposed by PD 577 on the scholarship program of military personnel who died or are incapacitated in line of duty, an awardee of Medal of Valor and his heirs/beneficiaries shall be exempted from the payment of tuition and matriculation fees in public or private schools, universities, colleges and other educational institutions in any pre-school, baccalaureate or post-graduate courses such as and including courses leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD), Bachelor of Laws (LLB), and Bachelor or Science in Nursing (BSN) or allied and similar courses.

SEC. 4. A Medal of Valor awardee and/or a son, upon reaching the age of admission as a cadet in the Philippine Military Academy, shall be given a quota and exempted from the mental examination requirement if interested to join the cadet corps of said military institution or otherwise priority for direct commission, call to active duty (CAD) and/or enlistment in regular force of the AFP, if qualified.

SEC. 5. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 24th day of March 1980.

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE
		Presidential Executive Assistant