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[ PROCLAMATION NO. 69, May 31, 1948 ]

RESERVING FOR MILITARY PURPOSES CORREGIDOR AND THE ADJACENT ISLANDS WHICH HAVE HERETOFORE BEEN CONSIDERED AS PART THEREOF AND DECLARING THE SAME AS NATIONAL DEFENSE ZONE.

WHEREAS, by virtue of the exchange of notes between the Governments of the United States and of the Philippines, dated October 12, 1947, all rights and title to, as well as possession of, the former United States Military Reservation known as Corregidor (Fort Mills), including the adjacent islands and detached rocks/ surrounding the same, have been transferred to the Republic of the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, in view of the importance of their strategic location for defense purposes, it is necessary to make Corregidor and said islands and rocks a national defense zone and as depository for war reserves of ammunition, except small arms;

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Commonwealth Act No. 321, approved on June 9, 1938, I, Elpidio Quirino, President of the Philippines, do hereby reserve the Islands of Corregidor, Caballo (Fort Hughes), La Monja, El Fraile (Fort Drum), Santa Amalia, Carabao (Fort Frank), and Limbones, as well as all waters and detached rocks surrounding them, for military purposes and declare the same as national defense zone.

I hereby place said reservation under the direct supervision and control of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, subject to the following conditions:

1. That all civilians now residing within the reservation shall be moved out gradually therefrom within two years from the date of this Proclamation;

2. That no civilian shall be permitted to visit or stay within the reservation without a pass from Headquarters National Defense Forces;

3. That certain areas within the reservation shall be declared “off limits” to civilians;

4. That the waters around Corregidor and the adjacent islands above named, except the channel for civilian shipping, shall be declared “off limits” to vessels other than those of the Philippine Naval Patrol;

5. That the harbors of these islands shall be placed under the operational control of the Philippine Naval Patrol;

6. That the air over the entrance to Manila Bay shall be declared “off limits” to any aircraft other than those of the Philippine Air Force;

7. That air photography of the reservation shall be prohibited except by the Philippine Air Force; and

8. That all military installations and fortifications which may be constructed within the reservation shall not be of a permanent character.

The Secretary of National Defense shall, upon the recommendation of the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this Proclamation, subject to the approval of the President of the Philippines, violation of which shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of Commonwealth Act No. 321.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 31st day of May, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty-eight, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the second.

ELPIDIO QUIRINO
President of the Philippines

By the President:
EMILIO ABELLO
Executive Secretary