April 10, 1973

[1] Official Gazette for April 11, 1973: THE PRESIDENT issued General Order No. 27 prohibiting any private contractor or person to use on any vehicle or equipment the orange color used to identify vehicles or equipment of the Bureau of Public Highways and other bureaus and offices of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications engaged in the government’s infrastructure program. The President noted that private contractors, undertaking the construction of infrastructure projects through contracts with the government, have used and adopted orange color in painting their private vehicles and equipment to make them identical with the vehicles and equipment of the Bureau of Public Highways. Any violation of the general order shall be penalized with a fine of P2,000 and or the impounding of the vehicle or equipment until such time as the owner undertakes the repainting of the same. BUREAU OF INTERNAL Revenue asked local governments to stop campaigning for tax payments in their respective cities and municipalities in order to get bigger shares in excess income tax. BIR Commissioner Misael P. Vera said that the place of payment of the income tax is now immaterial since the principal basis for tax allotment to local governments is on population and land area. Presidential Decree No. 144 has nullified Republic Act 2343 which allowed local governments to get the allotments on excess income tax. The BIR commissioner however, made it clear that those who want to avail themselves of Presidential Decree No. 23 (the 10 per cent tax amnesty on previously undeclared income or wealth) should file and pay their 1972 income tax in places where they previously filed tax amnesty returns. BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE reported that the tax amnesty collections now total P530,899,400 which were paid by 129,847 filers. First installment payments amounted to P343,757,327.19 while receivables totalled P182,642,073.19. Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata, meanwhile ordered all provincial and city assessors not to compel real property owners to personally declare under oath their sworn statements. The warning was issued following reports of complaints that real property owners are being compelled to appear personally in certain assessment jurisdictions for purposes of declaring under oath their sworn statements. The secretary further reminded the assessors that the sworn statements of real property owners should not directly be used as basis for assessment of real property as this will negate the principle of unity which Presidential Decree No. 76 seeks to ensure. THE PRESIDENT assured other nations, especially the country’s Asian neighbors, that the self-reliant posture the Philippine has assumed to determine its own destiny is being supplemented by a policy of mutual accommodation with other countries. The President, in his address before the opening session of the five-day conference of the Jaycees International, reiterates his invitation to foreign investors to participate in the economic development of the country. He also expressed hopes for the immediate formulation of an Asian Forum among all Asian nations, “irrespective of persuasion and ideology.” DANGEROUS DRUGS Board prohibited the distribution of free samples of dangerous drugs by pharmaceutical and chemical laboratories. Secretary of Health Clemente S. Gatmaitan said the move, adopted on the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration, was in connection with the present campaign against drug dependence under the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972. He explained that allowing the distribution of free samples of dangerous drugs, if continued, would adversely affect the government drive. PRICE CONTROL Council announced a 12 per cent increase in the price of the poultry and livestock feeds effective April 10. Secretary of Trade and Tourism Troadio T. Quiazon Jr., who is concurrently PCC chairman, explained this meant an average increase of P4 per bag of feeds. The old price average was P33 per bag. Mr. Quiazon said the price increase was necessary to bail out the feed milling industry which has been hard-pressed by a worldwide shortage of feed ingredients. He added that even with the increase, the feed millers will expect to incur losses totalling P28 million which would in effect wipe out the industry’s profit for the past three years. The DTT secretary explained that the prices of imported feed ingredients had gone up considerably. Soybean meal went up by 184 per cent, meat and bone meal by 172 per cent, fish meal by 196 per cent and corn by 80 per cent. ARMED FORCES issued a clarification on the registration of 20-year-old male citizens for military training which terminated last April 7, to allay fears of parents that their sons will be drafted into the regular military service after their training. AFP officials stated that the registration of 20-year-olds for military training is an annual requirement as provided by the National Defense Act and is not prompted by an emergency need of the military. The AFP disclosed that many ROTC cadets voluntarily presented themselves for military training during the last registration. The AFP also pointed out there are enough volunteers for enlistment in the military service and that the candidates for regular enlistment are only those in the 21-25 age group with college degrees.