WHEREAS, global and national perspectives on natural resources and environmental situation indicate a need to properly monitor the exploitation and development of the country's natural resources and changes in its physical environment;
WHEREAS, there are rapidly developing technologies for gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information relative to the inventory, assessment and monitoring of the country's natural resources and environment and the management thereof such that their proper utilization will enhance the capability to formulate effective plans for economic development; and
WHEREAS, recent developments and continuing scientific and technological research and development activities on natural resources information management have revealed the need to strengthen the system and capability to plan and implement the country's natural resources information programs by vesting the Natural Resources Management Center with supplementary responsibilities and powers.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby revise Presidential Decree No. 1041, as follows:
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy.—It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Government (a) to utilize efficient and appropriate technologies in the inventory, assessment and monitoring of our natural resources; (b) to enhance the capability to plan for accelerated economic growth; and (c) to provide for the establishment and organization of the proper government agency to take charge and be responsible for the attainment of these general objectives.
SEC. 2. Reorganizing the Natural Resources Management Center.—The Natural Resources Management Center, created under Presidential Decree No. 1041, hereinafter referred to as the NRMC, is hereby reorganized and constituted into a distinct agency which shall be attached to the Department of Natural Resources for policy and program coordination.
SEC. 3. Functions and Objectives.—The functions and objectives of the Natural Resources Management Center are:
SEC. 4. Governing Committee.—The governance and policy direction of the NRMC shall be exercised by a Governing Committee hereinafter referred to as the Committee, composed of nine (9) members, including the Chairman, as follows:
a. Secretary of Natural Resources —Chairman b. Secretary of Agriculture —Member c. Secretary of National Defense —Member d. Secretary of Energy —Member e. Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications —Member f. Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority —Member g. Chairman of the National Science Development Board —Member h. Presidential Assistant for Economic and Development Affairs —Member i. Director-General of NRMC —Member
The members of the Committee shall be entitled to per diems and allowances in accordance with existing laws in the performance of their duties and in carrying out the business of the NRMC.
SEC. 5. Functions and Responsibilities of the Committee.—The Committee shall have the following functions and responsibilities:
SEC. 6. Director-General.—The NRMC shall have a Director General to be appointed by the President of the Philippines who shall be the executive officer of the NRMC. He shall receive such salary and remunerations as may be determined by the Committee. He shall have the following powers and duties:
SEC. 7. Capital Investment Fund.—There is hereby established a Capital Investment Fund of the NRMC to be derived from and supported by periodic appropriations and subsidies from the government or the National Treasury in such amount or amounts as will be deemed sufficient and necessary for capital outlays and investments in equipment and facilities, including payments for international commitments, related to NRMC's programs, projects and activities, as well as from contributions, donations, grants or loans from domestic and/or foreign sources, and such other income derived from NRMC operations. The government appropriations for the purpose shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1979 and every year thereafter. Income generated by the NRMC shall form part of said Fund and utilized for the same purpose.
SEC. 8. Exemption from taxes.—Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any provision, contribution, bequest, subsidy or financial aid which may he made in favor of the NMRC shall be exempt from taxes of any kind and shall constitute allowable deductions in full from the income of the donors or givers for income tax purposes.
SEC. 9. Consultants, Research Fellows and Associates.—Whenever necessary, the Center may engage the services of experts, consultants, and other personnel and entities, local or foreign, on contractual basis or other arrangements for temporary services to accomplish its purpose, or require and call upon the technical and professional services of any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, including the detail of officials and employees on full or part-time basis. Those so engaged may be issued appointments as consultants, research fellows and research associates. The Committee shall provide such fees, allowances, and incentives for consultants, technical staff and any person employed in any of NRMC's projects and activities and provide additional compensation and emolument for any government official or employees engaged as consultant, research fellow or research associate, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.
SEC. 10. Honoraria.—The NRMC may pay honoraria to any government personnel providing assistance to the NRMC in carrying out its purposes and objectives under this Decree.
SEC. 11. Miscellaneous Provisions.—
SEC. 12. Separability Clause.—Should any of the provisions in this Decree be declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions contained herein.
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause.—All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 14. Effectivity.—This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 11th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-eight.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE Presidential Executive Assistant