Amending P.D. No. 187 Re: Extension of Date for Use of Metric System as Sole Standard of Weights and Measures

July 16, 1975

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 748

AMENDING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 187 TO EXTEND THE DATE FOR THE USE OF THE METRIC SYSTEM AS THE SOLE STANDARD OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 187 prescribed the metric system as the sole standard of weights and measures to be used throughout the Philippines starting January 1, 1975 for all products, commodities, materials, utilities, services and in all business and legal transactions; cd i

WHEREAS, while metric conversion is already being done in areas where it is readily feasible, many industrial, agricultural, trade, educational and other economic, social and cultural sectors require more time to adjust their machinery, equipment, inventories, supplies, products, operational, administrative and marketing systems;

WHEREAS, metrication involves not merely conversion from the English and other systems of weights and measures to the metric system but also standardization in metric packaging patterns for better consumer protection and facility in manufacturing and international and domestic trading;

WHEREAS, it is desirable to effect such reforms in our way of life in an expeditious but orderly and inexpensive manner;

WHEREAS, there is need to extend the operations of the Metric System Board and to provide adequate administrative, financial and other support for country-wide metrication;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order the following amendments to Presidential Decree No. 187:

SECTION 1. Section two of Presidential Decree No. 187 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 2.  Creation of Metric System Board.— In order to effect the orderly change from the English and other systems of weights and measures to the metric system, a Metric System Board, hereinafter referred to as Board, is hereby created, which shall be composed of the Secretary of Trade as Chairman, and the Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Natural Resources, Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications, Secretary of Education and Culture, Secretary of Justice, Secretary of Industry, Secretary of Health, Secretary of Local Government and Community Development, Secretary of Public Highways, Secretary of National Defense, Secretary of Public Information, Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority, and the Chairman of the National Science Development Board as members. The department undersecretaries and the board vice-chairman concerned shall serve as alternates; Provided, however, That a member may designate another official to represent him on the Board and serve as Chief of Staff Metrication Officer of the department or office concerned. The chairman and members, or their alternate or representative on the Board in the absence of their principal, shall be entitled to a per diem of two hundred pesos for every board meeting they actually attended."

SECTION 2. Paragraph (b), (c) and (d) of Section three of the same decree are hereby amended to read as follows:

"b.  Draw up a program, after consultation with the private sector, for the nation-wide use of the metric system and standard metric packaging patterns, including the respective starting and completion dates, in the different agricultural, commercial, industrial, utilities, scientific, services and other sectors; Provided, That the metric system shall be fully adopted in all sectors throughout the Philippines by January first, nineteen hundred and seventy-seven; Provided, however, that for financial, technological and other reasons, the Board may grant extensions in highly meritorious cases. The Board shall consider the need to provide adequate time for the modification of existing devices or acquiring new devices in conformity with the metric system and the need to disseminate widely information on the metric system, the metric conversion programs and implementing rules and regulations;

"c.  Promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation hereof, and, after approval thereof by the President of the Philippines, widely disseminate the same to all government offices and instrumentalities and the general public, including publication once for three consecutive weeks in at least three newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines;

d.  Appoint personnel from division chief level and above, preference to be given to qualified persons who were laid off from the government service as a result of reorganization; Provided, that professional, highly technical and executive personnel may be employed under such terms and conditions as the Board or the Chairman may prescribe." casia

SECTION 3. Section four of the same decree is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 4. Metrication Director and Secretariat.—

a.  The Board, upon recommendation of the Chairman, shall appoint a Metrication Director who shall direct and supervise technical staff studies on metrication and oversee and coordinate implementation of duly approved programs. He shall be a citizen of the Philippines, at least thirty-five years of age, of recognized executive ability, with broad educational background and adequate experience in senior level management, business, economics and/or technology. He shall receive an annual salary of forty thousand pesos and a monthly allowance of one thousand pesos.

"b.  The Director of the Philippines Bureau of Product Standards shall serve as Executive Secretary of the Board. The Chairman may request for the detail to the Board Secretariat of personnel from other government offices and instrumentalities, which are hereby enjoined to extend all the necessary assistance to the Board."

SECTION 4. Section five of the same decree is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 5. Appropriation.— The sum of five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the expenses of the Board for fiscal year nineteen hundred and seventy-six, the special budget for which shall be subject only to approval by the Board. The appropriation for the Board shall be included and programmed in the annual national budget for the succeeding fiscal years."

SECTION 5. Effectivity.— This Decree shall take effect upon its approval. The Metric System Board shall cease to exist by June thirty, nineteen hundred and seventy-nine.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause.— The provisions of any laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 16th day of July, in the year of our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five.