AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 233, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1973-1974

WHEREAS, there art many officials and employees of the
Bureau of Public Highways who had retired or who will retire under the
provisions of Subsection c, Section 12, Commonwealth Act No. 186, as
inserted by Republic Act No. 1616, as amended, and further amended by
Republic Act Nos. 4968 and 5969, and many officials and employees who
are laid off as a result of (he elimination of their positions in the
implementation of the Integrated Reorganization Plan;

WHEREAS, these retiring or retired officials and employees,
as well as those who were separated, are entitled to payment of
retirement benefits or gratuities and the corresponding money value of
their accrued leaves;

WHEREAS, the retirement benefits or gratuities and unpaid
balances of the money value of terminal leaves of these officials and
employees affected cannot be paid by the Bureau for lack of funds and/or
appropriation therefor;

WHEREAS, the current Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year
1973-1974, as approved under Presidential Decree No. 233, which created a
Retirement Gratuity Fund and Terminal Leave Benefits Fund, did not
include the officials and employees of the Bureau of Public Highways as
beneficiaries of these funds; and

WHEREAS, in order that these officials and employees of the
Bureau of Public Highways can be paid their retirement benefits or
gratuities and the money value of their terminal leaves, it is necessary
that said officials and employees be included among the authorized
recipients of the Retirement Gratuity Fund and the Terminal Leave
Benefits Fund created under Presidential Decree No. 233;

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. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General
Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby promulgate
this Decree as part of the law of the land.

SECTION 1. The special provisions of the Retirement
Gratuity Fund and the Terminal Leave Benefit Fund treated under
Presidential Decree No. 233 are hereby amended to include the officials
and employees of the Bureau of Public Highways among the authorized
beneficiaries of the funds appropriated therein.

SEC. 2. The effectivity of this Decree shall retroact as of
July 1, 1973.

Done in the City of Manila, this 18th day of October, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.