PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 20, October 12, 1972
AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6359, ENTITLED “AN ACT TO REGULATE RENTALS FOR TWO YEARS OF DWELLING UNITS OR OF LAND ON WHICH ANOTHER’S DWELLING IS LOCATED AND …
befell the country tended to raise prices of the basic necessities of
life including rentals for housing;
WHEREAS, the Government through various measures
have successfully been able to stabilize the prices of basic
commodities, and it is essential that rentals for housing should
likewise be stabilized; and
WHEREAS, the freezing of rentals for the lower
income group at their present levels is desirable as the equitable
levels for both the lessor and the lessee;
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 all 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, as amended, do
hereby adopt and make as part of the law of the land certain amendments
to the provisions of Republic Act No. 6359, which shall read as follows:
“SECTION 1. No lessor of a dwelling unit or of land
on which another’s dwelling is located shall, upon promulgation of this
Decree and until otherwise provided, increase the monthly
rental agreed upon between the lessor and the lessee, as of the
effectivity of this Act when said monthly rental does not exceed three
hundred (P300.00) pesos a month.”
“SEC. 3. No lessor of a dwelling unit or of land on
which another’s dwelling is located may demand a deposit, for any
purpose, of any amount in excess of two month’s rental in advance.”
“SEC. 4. Except when the lease is for a definite
period, the provisions of paragraph (1) of Article 1673 of the Civil
Code of the Philippines insofar as they refer to dwelling unit or land
on which another’s dwelling is located shall be suspended until
otherwise provided; but other provisions of the Civil Code and
the Rules of Court of the Philippines on lease contracts, insofar as
they are not in conflict with the provisions of this Act, shall apply.”
“SEC. 5. Any person violating any provisions of this
Act shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than one year nor
more than five years and a fine of not less than five thousand pesos nor
more than ten thousand pesos.”
This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 12th day of October, in the year of
Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-two.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President: (Sgd.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR Executive Secretary