MALACAÑANG 
Manila

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 183

PROVIDING FOR THE ANNUAL REGISTRATION OF RESERVISTS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES; GRANTING SECURITY OF TENURE TO RESERVISTS EMPLOYED IN PRIVATE FIRMS WHILE UNDERGOING REFRESHER TRAINING, MOBILIZATION OR ASSEMBLY TESTS OR ANNUAL ACTIVE DUTY TRAINING IN FULFILLMENT OF THEIR MILITARY OBLIGATIONS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, the reservists of the Armed Forces of the Philippines constitute the bigger bulk of its manpower requirement in the event of total or partial military mobilization in time of war during periods of national emergency;

WHEREAS, records pertaining to the number, status, location, skills and other important information regarding AFP reservists are either lacking, incomplete or not up-to-date, thus rendering difficult their prompt, orderly and efficient mobilization and utilization during war or national emergencies;

WHEREAS, existing laws and regulations are not adequate for purposes of maintaining up-to-date and reliable information, data, and pertinent records concerning AFP reservists, necessitating the adoption of appropriate remedial measures;

WHEREAS, to provide for a more effective reserve training and defense build-up program, it is further necessary to grant security of tenure for reservists employed in private firms and establishment during periods of absence while fulfilling their military obligations to the Republic, subject to certain conditions;

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, continued in Proclamation No. 1104, dated January 17, 1973, and General Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby order and decree that henceforth:

(a) Within the period from 1 to 31 May 1973, and during the same period annually thereafter, it shall be mandatory for all reservists of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to register with the local civil registrar of the city of municipality where they reside, under such implementing rules and regulations as the Secretary of National Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Local Governments, shall promulgate and publish;

(b) Any reservist of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who, without lawful excuse or justification, shall fail to register with the local civil registrar as provided for above within the period herein prescribed shall, upon conviction at hard labor for not more than one year and/or pay a fine of not to exceed one thousand pesos.

(c) It shall be the duty of the local civil registrar to forward copies of all registration documents accomplished by reservists as provided herein to the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines. The local civil registrar shall likewise report immediately to the Armed Forces of the Philippines the death of any person known to him or publicly known to be a reservists of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

(d) Notification to the Armed Forces of the Philippines of the impending departure of a reservist from the country shall be a prerequisite to the issuance or validation of a passport and/or travel clearance.

(e) The National Computer Center shall render such technical assistance as may be necessary in the updating and analysis of records of reservists.

(f) Any employee of any private commercial, industrial, or agricultural firm, with an annual gross volume of business of not less than two hundred and fifty thousand pesos and with a personnel force of at least twenty employees, who is called to undergo refresher training, or a mobilization or assembly test, or annual active duty training in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shall not loss his position or suffer any loss of pay due to his absence in the fulfillment of his military obligation: Provided, That said firm shall be entitled to claim the salaries paid to such employee during such training period as a deductible item in its income tax return;

(g) The penalty of imprisonment for not more than six months and/or a fine not to exceed one thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any employer or responsible public official who shall prevent the fulfillment by any employee of the latter’s obligation to undergo any military refresher training, mobilization or assembly test or annual active duty training as may be required by law.

(h) The Armed Forces of the Philippines may transmit in the mail, free of charge, all official communications and papers directly connected with the objectives and purposes of this Decree. The envelope or wrapper of the privileged mail matter shall bear on the upper left corner the name, official designation and station of the official sending such mail matter and on the upper right corner, the words: “Private or unauthorized use to avoid payment of postage is penalized by fine or imprisonment of both.” Any person who uses the privilege granted herein for private or unauthorized purposes, shall be punished by a fine of five hundred pesos or imprisonment of not more than three years, or both.

All provisions of laws, rules and regulations, which are in conflict with this Decree are hereby modified and/or amended accordingly.

This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 6th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) ROBERTO V. REYES
Assistant Executive Secretary

Source: Malacañang Records Office