WHEREAS, the mapping activities of all government agencies and private enterprises shall be coordinated in order to optimize the utilization of graphic data and information generated by the program.
WHEREAS, considering that the program will generate data, vital to the economic and political security of the nation, stringent safeguards should therefore be provided in the taking and use of aerial photographs;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order the following as part of the law of the land.
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy.—It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state to:
SEC. 2. Creation of the National Cartography, Photogrammetry and Remote-Sensing Center.—There is hereby created a National Cartography, Photogrammetry and Remote-Sensing Center, hereinafter referred to as the "Center" under the supervision of the Office of the President.
SEC. 3. Powers and Functions of the Center.—The Center shall have the following powers and functions:
SEC. 4. Executive Board.—The governance and policy direction of the Center shall be vested in an Executive Board, hereinafter referred to as the "Board", which shall be composed of the following:
a) The Director-General National Intelligence and Security Authority — Chairman b) The Undersecretary Department of Human Settlements — Member c) The Undersecretary for Home Defense Department of National Defense — Member d) The Commanding General Philippine Air Force — Member e) The Commanding Officer Armed Forces of the Philippines Mapping Center — Member f) The Director Bureau of Lands — Member g) The Director Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey — Member
The members of the Executive Board may designate a representative to substitute for them whenever it may be necessary, provided that the designation shall be made in writing, and submitted to the Chairman.
The Board shall meet as often as is necessary on such day (s) as it may fix. Special meetings may be convoked upon the call of the Chairman or upon written request of at least two (2) of its members. The presence of three (3) members shall constitute a quorum, and all decisions shall require the concurrence of at least three (3) members.
SEC. 5. Powers and Functions of the Executive Board.—The Board shall have the following powers and functions:
SEC. 6. Office of the Executive Director.—The Executive Director shall be the chief operating officer of the Center and shall perform such functions and responsibilities as may be determined by the Board. Upon recommendation of the Board, he shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines. He must be a Filipino Citizen, at least thirty-five (35) years of age, of good moral character and with recognized competence in photogrammetry, cartography and remote-sensing. Unless otherwise provided by the President, the Executive Director shall receive a compensation of Sixty Thousand Pesos (P60,000.00) a year.
The Executive Director shall be assisted by one (1) Assistant Executive Director for Technical Services and Plans and by one (1) Assistant Executive Director for Operations.
SEC. 7. Functions and Responsibilities of the Executive Director.—The Executive Director shall have the following functions and responsibilities:
SEC. 8. Assistance from Other Government Agencies.—The National Photogrammetry and Cartography Committee created under LOI 613 shall provide technical assistance to the Center. In addition existing photogrammetric, cartographic and mapping activities of all government agencies and private enterprises such as the Natural Resources Management Center of the Department of Natural Resources, the Philippine Communications Satellite, Inc. (Philcomsat), and others shall be undertaken in accordance with, and coordinated for integration into, the national policies and development programs promulgated by the Center.
Likewise, the Center may call upon any department, office, agency or instrumentality of the government or any of its political subdivisions for such assistance as it may need in carrying out its duties, functions, and objectives. For this purpose and in addition to such personnel as it may directly hire or contract for, the Center is hereby authorized to form and constitute a pool of highly technical and other personnel from any and all offices and agencies of the government for detail or assignment to the Center. Such personnel are authorized to receive honoraria, compensation allowances and other incentives as the Board may prescribe.
SEC. 9. Security Measures.—The Center shall declare any aerial photographs, maps and other irreproducible materials as classified materials if in its opinion, the disclosure of the same is inimical to the security of the State. As such all negatives and reproducibles of classified aerial photographs shall be deposited with the Center.
In pursuance of the security needs of the Center, it is hereby authorized to establish direct procurement offices abroad to facilitate acquisition of necessary supplies and equipment.
SEC. 10. Tax Exemptions.—Photogrammetric, cartographic and remote-sensing materials, equipment, supplies, spare parts and other related facilities, imported or purchased locally by the Center, shall be exempt from all taxes, including tariff and customs duties, imposed by the Republic of the Philippines or any of its political subdivisions.
SEC. 11. Borrowing Power.—The Center is hereby authorized to incur indebtedness and borrow funds from any foreign government and other public or private financial institutions in such amounts as from time to time may be required for its operations as well as to issue bonds, promissory notes, debentures, certificates of indebtedness, and other debt instruments in foreign currency under such terms and conditions as it shall deem proper and necessary. Subject only to the approval of the President of the Philippines and the Secretary of Finance, all such foreign indebtedness shall be automatically guaranteed by the government of the Republic of the Philippines. No part of the proceeds of such foreign borrowings shall be used for the operating expenses of the Center.
SEC. 12. Appropriations.—To carry out the objectives of this Decree, there is hereby appropriated out of any funds from the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated the amount of One Million Pesos for CY 1978. Thereafter, the appropriations for the Center shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 13. Penalties.—
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause.—Presidential Decree No. 1178, dated 12 August 1977 and all provisions of existing laws, decrees, executive orders and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 15. Separability Clause.—The provisions of this Decree are declared to be separable and if any provisions or the application thereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected.
SEC. 16. Effectivity Clause.—This Decree shall take effect upon its approval.
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