CONSTITUTING THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES INTO A BODY CORPORATE AND PROVIDING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE THERETO FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ITS PURPOSES

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of the Philippines, by virtue of
its rule-making power and conformably to the provisions of Republic Act
No. 6397, has ordained the integration of the Philippine Bar by
Resolution of January 9, 1973, for the fundamental purposes of elevating
the standards of the legal profession, improving the administration of
justice, and enabling the Bar to discharge its public responsibility
more effectively;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the said Resolution and in accordance
with Court Rule 139-A, effective January 16, 1973, the Integrated Bar of
the Philippines has been organized, its various organs have been
established, and its officers, both national and local, have been duly
elected and have entered into the exercise and discharge of their
respective powers and duties; and

WHEREAS, the Integrated Bar, in the pursuit of its lofty
objectives, obviously merits the aid and support of the people and the
Government of the Republic of the Philippines, particularly in the form
of direct material and financial assistance, at least during the initial
years of its corporate existence;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant
to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order
No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, and Proclamation No. 1104, dated
January 17, 1973, do hereby order and decree as part of the law of the
land that:

SECTION 1. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines is hereby
constituted into a body corporate, by the name, style and title of
“Integrated Bar of the Philippines,” with principal office in the
Greater Manila Area.

SEC. 2. The Integrated Bar shall have perpetual succession
and shall have all legal powers appertaining to a juridical person,
particularly the power to sue and be sued; to contract and be contracted
with; to hold real and personal property as may be necessary for
corporate purposes; to mortgage, lease, sell, transfer, convey and
otherwise dispose of the same; to solicit and receive public and private
donations and contributions; to accept and receive real and personal
property by gift, devise or bequest; to levy and collect membership dues
and special assessments from its members; to adopt a seal and to alter
the same at pleasure; to have offices and conduct its affairs in the
Greater Manila Area and elsewhere; to make and adopt by-laws, rules and
regulations not inconsistent with the laws of the Philippines or the
Rules of Court, particularly Rule 139-A thereof; and generally to do all
such acts and things as may be necessary or proper to carry into effect
and promote the purposes for which it was organized.

SEC. 3. All donations or contributions which may be made by
private entities or persons to the Integrated Bar shall be exempt from
income and gift taxes, and the same shall further be deductible in full
and shall not be included for purposes of computing the maximum amount
deductible under Section 30, paragraph (h), of the National Internal
Revenue Code, as amended.

SEC. 4. All taxes, charges and fees that may be paid by the
Integrated Bar or any of its Chapters to the Government or any
political subdivision or instrumentality thereof shall be refundable
annually to the former for the period extending up to December 31, 1978.

SEC. 5. The Integrated Bar shall receive by way of donation
or lease at a nominal rent from the Government of the Republic of the
Philippines a parcel of land in the Greater Manila Area as a suitable
site for the construction of a building for the Integrated Bar, with
full power to mortgage or otherwise encumber the same.

SEC. 6. The foregoing provisions shall be without prejudice
to the exercise by the Supreme Court of its rule-making power under the
Constitution or to the provisions of Court Rule 139-A.

SEC. 7. The sum of five hundred thousand pesos is hereby
appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, for the purposes of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
for the fiscal year 1973-1974.

SEC. 8. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 4th day of May, in the year of Our
Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.