GRANTING EMERGENCY COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE TO EMPLOYEES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND APPROPRIATING THE NECESSARY FUNDS THEREFOR

WHEREAS, worldwide inflation primarily brought about by the
energy crisis has resulted in the tremendous increase of domestic
prices, in particular, and the cost of living, in general;

WHEREAS, the increase in prices, especially of basic or
prime commodities, has caused undue hardships among that segment of our
people belonging to the low income or salary group in the public as well
as private sector of the economy;

WHEREAS, there is need to alleviate the plight of the
members of this low income group in order to provide them with the means
to cushion the impact of increased prices on their daily lives; and

WHEREAS, the needed measures to aid and assist the low
income group initiated by the Government should set an example and
suggest to the private sector to undertake measures of their own for the
same purpose;

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, and pursuant to
Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order No.
1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby order and decree the
following as part of the law of the land:

SECTION 1. Any provision of law, decree, executive order,
administrative order, letter of instruction, or rule or regulation to
the contrary notwithstanding, all employees of the National Government
whose salaries or wages are less than or below six hundred pesos (P600)
per month shall be given, in addition to their respective salaries or
wages, the amount of fifty pesos (P50) per month as emergency cost of
living allowance: Provided, That no employee covered by this emergency
allowance scheme shall, by reason of the receipt of this allowance,
receive more than six hundred pesos (P600) per month as straight time
pay.

SEC. 2. So much amount as is necessary to pay the emergency
cost of living allowance and the adjustment as provided for in the
preceding section is hereby appropriated out of any amount in the
National Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

SEC. 3. This Decree shall take effect and shall be
implemented immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 17th day of February, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.