Prohibiting the Issuance of Restraining Orders or Preliminary Injunctions in Cases Involving Government Infrastructure

January 16, 1981

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1818

PROHIBITING COURTS FROM ISSUING RESTRAINING ORDERS OR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IN CASES INVOLVING INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS OF, AND PUBLIC UTILITIES OPERATED BY, THE GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 605 prohibits the issuance by the courts of restraining orders or injunctions in cases involving concessions, licenses, and other permits issued by administrative officials or bodies for the exploitation, development and utilization of natural resources of the country;

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to adopt a similar prohibition against the issuance of such restraining orders or injunctions in other areas of activity equally critical to the economic development effort of the nation, in order not to disrupt or hamper the pursuit of essential government projects.

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 as follows:

SECTION 1. No court in the Philippines shall have jurisdiction to issue any restraining order, preliminary injunction, or preliminary mandatory injunction in any case, dispute, or controversy involving an infrastructure project, or a mining, fishery, forest or other natural resource development project of the government, or any public utility operated by the government, including among others public utilities for the transport of the goods or commodities, stevedoring and arrastre contracts, to prohibit any person or persons, entity or governmental official from proceeding with, or continuing the execution or implementation of any such project, or the operation of such public utility, or pursuing any lawful activity necessary for such execution, implementation or operation. aisa dc

SECTION 2. This decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 16th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-One.

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 79 No. 30 Page 4131 on July 25, 1983.