INCREASING THE SPECIFIC TAX ON GASOLINE, LUBRICATING OIL AND AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL OIL BY AMENDING SECTIONS 142 AND 145 OF THE NATIONAL INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, AS AMENDED[]

WHEREAS, it is in line with the declared policy of the
Government to accelerate the economic and social development of the
country to provide for the construction and improvement of highways,
roads, bridges and other infrastructures;

WHEREAS, the estimated amounts that are expected to accrue
to the Highway Special Fund in the next fiscal years are grossly
inadequate to pursue the current program of highway improvement and
development;

WHEREAS, the tax on gasoline in the Philippines is one of
the lowest in the world, as revealed in a comparative study of the
gasoline tax in fifteen (15) countries/cities, as revealed by the
following statistics (based on April 1972 estimates):

	The Cost of Gasoline in Several Countries/Cities
	Product Cost in Equipment Showing the Tax Component and Centavos Per Liter
	Among Non-Asian Countries/Cities		Tax Element	Product Cost
		Adelaide, Australia	24.5	43.4
		Dallas, U.S.A.	15.5	42.7
		Naples, Italy	123.6	34.3
		New York, U.S.A.	18.9	51.3
		New Zealand	34.0	38.1
		Oslo, Norway	95.1	39.0
		Rotterdam, Netherlands	82.1	36.0
		United Kingdom	77.3	37.8
		Vienna, Austria	54.9	33.5
		Washington, D.C., U.S.A.	18.9	44.5
	Among Asian Countries
		Bangkok	27.8	31.8
		Hong Kong	42.4	37.8
		Kuala Lumpur	60.8	36.4
		Singapore	60.8	35.0
		Tokyo	51.9	43.9
		Manila	8.0 (14 as proposed)	22.0

WHEREAS, the current gasoline price in
Manila, as compared with those in progressive Asian cities, is also the
lowest, as shown below:

	Price, Equivalent Centavos per Liter (as of October 1973, except for Jakarta which is as of March 1973)
	Cities		Premium		Regular
	Calcutta, India		133.5 c		128.9 c
	Hong Kong		117.8		107.5
	Jakarta, Indonesia		64.8		57.3
	Sabah, Malaysia		144.5		130.2
	Saigon, Vietnam		142.8		115.6
	Sarawak		122.0		107.7
	Singapore		145.2		135.6
	Tokyo, Japan		166.6		143.5
	Manila		39.0		33.0

WHEREAS, the tax on automotive diesel is
very low compared to the tax on gasoline and should be increased to make
its tax nearer that on gasoline since automotive diesel is also used
for motor purposes; and

WHEREAS, the increase in tax on gasoline,
lubricating oil and automotive diesel oil is consistent with the present
policy to conserve fuel;

NOW, THEREFORE, in order to effect the
desired changes and reforms in the economic, social and political
structure of our society, 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 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General
Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, do hereby order and decree the
following:

SECTION 1. Section 142, subparagraphs (b)
and (c) and Section 145 of the National Internal Revenue Code, as
amended, are hereby further amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 142. Specific tax on
manufactured oils and fuels. — On refined and manufactured mineral
oils and motor fuels, there shall be collected the following taxes:

x x x

“(b) Lubricating oils, per liter of volume capacity, TEN [seven]
centavos;
“(c) Naphtha, gasoline and all other similar products of distillation,
per liter of volume capacity, FOURTEEN [eight] centavos; and

“SEC. 145. Specific tax on diesel fuel oil. — On
fuel oil, commercially known as diesel fuel oil, and on similar fuel
oils, having more or less the same generating power, with specific
gravity of .820 to .920 at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, there shall be
collected, [per metric ton, one peso], per liter, two centavos:
Provided, That on diesel oil used for automotive purposes, the tax Shall
be six centavos per liter.”

SEC. 2. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 20th day of October, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.