ADJUSTING THE AUTHORIZED GRADES IN THE COMMAND AND STAFF STRUCTURE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS, under existing law, the position of Chief of Staff
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is authorized a grade of
General while the position of Vice Chief of Staff, second ranking
officer of the AFP, which should be authorized the next succeeding lower
grade is, in fact, authorized a grade of Major General which is two
grades lower;

WHEREAS, the position of Deputy Chief of Staff, the third
ranking officer in the General Headquarters (GHQ), AFP, which should be
authorized two grades lower than the Chief of Staff, AFP is authorized a
grade of Brigadier General which is three grades lower;

WHEREAS, the position of the lour Major Service Commanders
arc authorized the grade of Brigadier General but their immediate
principal subordinates, the Vice/Deputy Commanders, Chief of Staff, and
major unit commanders are, at present, actually in the same grade;

WHEREAS, the Commanding General of the Presidential
Security Command, concurrently the Senior Military Adviser to the
Commander-in-Chief, holds a position of great responsibility and should
have the rank commensurate to his position;

WHEREAS, the position of Assistant Chiefs of Joint Staff
(JI, J2, J3, J4, J6, and J7) are authorized grades lower than the Major
Service Chiefs of Staff and their Major Unit Commanders even though the
positions of the former are of higher category in the AFP Command and
Staff structure;

WHEREAS, the Assistant Chiefs of Joint Staff exercise
direction and supervision over the Major Service Staff and their Major
Unit Commanders in the name of the Chief of Staff, AFP, or, where
authority is specifically delegated, in their own name;

WHEREAS, the major commands as well as the general staff
positions of comparable Armed Forces of other nations are headed by
officers with grades higher than counterpart representative in the Armed
Forces of the Philippines, placing the Philippine military
representative at a disadvantageous position in international military
conferences;

WHEREAS, it is necessary to maintain the pyramidal pattern
in the Command and Staff structure of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines by restructuring the hierarchical grade relationships and Lo
strengthen the stature of the pivotal and sensitive positions in the
AFP; and

WHEREAS, the greatly increased responsibilities and crucial
role of the military under Presidential Proclamations No. 1081, dated
September 21, 1972, and No. 1104, dated January 17, 1973, coupled with
the sizeable increase in the AFP standing force from 2 1,000 in 1948
when the AFP Personnel Act (Republic Act No. 291) was passed to 100,000
beginning July this year, requires that every effort be made to
strengthen and improve the command and control structure of the Military
organization;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution as
Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and
pursuant to Proclamation No. 108 1, dated September 21, 1972,
Proclamation No. 1104, dated January 17, 1973, and General Order No. 1,
dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby decree that:

1. The following positions in the Armed Forces of the Philippines
   shall be authorized the grades or their equivalent in the Philippine
   Navy as herein indicated:

   	Chief of Staff, AFP	General (0-10)
   	Vice Chief of Staff, AFP	Lieutenant General (0-9)
   	Commanders of Major Services, AFP	Major General (0-8)
   	Commander of Presidential Security Command, AFP	Major General (0-8)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff, AFP	Major General (0-8)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Home Defense	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, J1	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, J2	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Organizations & Training, J3	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, J4	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Comptrollership, J6	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	Deputy Chief of Staff for Material Development and Foreign Military Assistance, J7	Brigadier General (0-7)
   	The Inspector General, AFP	Brigadier General (0-7)

2. The positions of Commanders of Task Forces, Major Units and
   other key positions of the AFP shall be authorized the grade of
   Brigadier General/Commodore as the President may direct.
3. The following percentages of the total officer strength
   authorized for the AFP are hereby prescribed:

   	General Officer of the Regular Force	.75		percent
   	Colonel	5.2		percent
   	Lieutenant Colonel	11.6		percent
   	Major	17.2		percent
   	Captain	19.7		percent
   	First/Second Lieutenant	45.55		percent

4. The rate of monthly base for Lieutenant General of the Armed
   Forces of the Philippines shall be one thousand seven hundred fifty
   pesos (P1,750).
5. The retirement grade of the Chief of Staff of the Armed
   Forces of the Philippines shall be General, the retirement grade of the
   Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall be
   Lieutenant General, and the retirement grade of the Major Service
   Commanders shall be Major General to include their retirement benefits.
6. All laws, executive orders, general orders, or decrees which
   are, in whole or in part, inconsistent with this Decree are hereby
   repealed or deemed superseded.

Done in the City of Manila, this 30th day of December, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.