Reserving and Declaring the Santa Cruz Islands in Zamboanga City as a National Park

February 4, 1975

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 654

RESERVING AND DECLARING THE SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS IN ZAMBOANGA CITY AS NATIONAL PARK FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

WHEREAS, the government has embarked on a massive program of tourism development as one of the studied measures to strengthen the economy of the country;

WHEREAS, the city of Zamboanga and its environs have been included as one of the priority area for this kind of development by reason of ideal location and natural beauty; and

WHEREAS, it has been determined that among the places in the Zamboanga region suitable and ideal for a viable tourism development are the islands commonly known as STA. CRUZ GRANDE and STA. CRUZ SMALL;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution hereby decree:

SECTION 1.  That the two islands known as Sta. Cruz Grande and Sta. Cruz Small; of the City of Zamboanga, including their foreshore lands and the Muslim burial grounds are hereby set aside, reserved and declared as a national park to be developed in such a manner as will complement the general tourism development plan for the area; provided that the Muslim burial grounds shall be preserved as integral part of the park and subsequent burials shall be made in a new site to be provided by the City of Zamboanga with the assistance of the Philippine Tourism Authority;

SECTION 2.  That the entire land and or any part or portion of these islands are hereby closed to public disposition or alienation in any manner whatsoever and that all pending and unperfected applications of any form for the acquisition of any part thereof, as of the date of this decree are hereby set aside without prejudice to existing valid private titles if any, which are, however, subject, to the government's power of expropriation through the Philippine Tourism Authority whenever the proper and integrated development of these areas may be so required;

SECTION 3.  The maintenance and development of these islands are hereby placed under the Parks and Wildlife Office upon the promulgation of this Decree and such funds as shall be necessary for the development of said islands shall be included in the appropriation of said Office in the next annual budget. acd

SECTION 4.  That all laws, proclamation, executive orders, and decrees inconsistent with those decree are hereby repealed or modified;

SECTION 5.  This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 4th day of February, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five.