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WHEREAS, it is the declared policy of the Government to promote the production, processing and consumption of cassava flour;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the said policy, Republic Act No. 657, otherwise known as the Cassava Flour Law, authorizes and directs the Price Stabilization Corporation (PRISCO) to prescribe as a condition for the issuance of any license to import wheat flour from abroad that the importer shall buy cassava flour in such proportions, not to exceed thirty per centum (30%) of wheat flour by weight, as may be prescribed by the Administrator of Economic Coordination, and shall sell cassava flour and wheat flour in the same proportions; and

WHEREAS, with the expiration of Republic Act No. 650, otherwise known as the Import Control Law, the PRISCO can no longer implement the provisions of Republic Act No. 657;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RAMON MAGSAYSAY, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

1. Any importer of wheat flour who shall apply with the Central Bank of the Philippines for dollar allocation for use in the importation of wheat flour shall be required to secure from the PRISCO a certification that he has already purchased or contracted to purchase cassava flour with manufacturers or suppliers of locally-produced cassava flour in an amount equivalent to any percentage which the PRISCO may prescribe, provided that such percentage shall not exceed thirty per centum (30%) of the imported wheat flour by weight. Importers of wheat flour in turn shall not sell wheat flour without at the same time requiring the purchaser to buy the corresponding proportion of caasava flour as set forth in the rules and regulations which may be prescribed by the PRISCO.

2. For the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Order, the PRISCO is hereby authorized to collect a service fee of one-half of one per centum (1/2%) of the face value of the cassava flour for which it makes the required certification to the Central Bank of the Philippines, the said fee to be used to defray the expenses of certification, regulation and supervision. No other fee shall be imposed. Any unexpended balance thereof shall be spent by the PRISCO for surveys and researches, promotion and publicity, and general development of the cassava industry.

3. In order to insure that a fair and equitable percentage of cassava flour is purchased by every wheat flour importer, the Central Bank of the Philippines shall furnish the PRISCO a list of dollar allocations granted to wheat flour importers, said list to be held by the PRISCO as confidential information which shall not be released to the public or to individual importers.

4. Any importer of wheat flour who refuses or purposely avoids or deliberately fails to comply with the conditions laid down in paragraph 1 hereof shall be subject to the penalties provided in Republic Act No. 657.

5. All executive orders, administrative orders and proclamations, or parts thereof, inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the eighth.

(Sgd.) RAMON MAGSAYSAY
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) FRED RUIZ CASTRO
Executive Secretary