MALACAÑANG 
Manila

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 19

AMENDING SECTIONS ONE AND TWO OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED FOUR THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE.

WHEREAS, in line with my Letter of Instruction No. 1 dated September 22, 1972, issued pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, the Secretary of National Defense and the Press Secretary took over the control of all newspapers wherever they are for the duration of the present national emergency, or until otherwise ordered by me or by my duly designated representative to prevent further subversive activity to undermine faith and confidence in the government;

WHEREAS, as a consequence of said take-over, the requirements in Sections 1 and 2 of Republic Act No. 4569, (June 19, 1965), as amended by Republic Act No. 4883, (June 17, 1967) regarding the publication of judicial notices, advertisements for public bidding, notices of auction sales and other similar notices of announcements in a newspaper or periodical which has been regularly published for at least two years before the date of publication of the notices or announcements and the distribution of said notices to qualified newspapers by lot cannot be complied with;

WHEREAS, the inability to comply with the aforementioned requirements has resulted in the paralyzation of the normal transactions of the government and private sectors, such as foreclosure of mortgages, sale of property on execution, naturalization proceedings and letting of contracts for public works construction projects;

WHEREAS, this paralyzation is inimical to the economic growth of the country;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, 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, and in order to effect desired changes and reforms in the social, economic and political structures of our society, do hereby decree, that the publication of the notices mentioned in Section 1 of Republic Act No. 4569, as amended by Republic Act No. 4883, may be made in a newspaper, with a nationwide circulation published regularly, by a government agency or entity, and in any newspaper published and edited in any part of the country which is in operation during the existence of the present national emergency; and that the distribution of said notices by lot as required by Section 2 of the aforementioned Act shall be dispensed with in case only one newspaper is in operation in a particular area or region. These amendments are hereby adopted and approved, and made part of the law of the land.

This decree shall take effect immediately, provided that amendments, changes and modifications may be made bay me and the same shall take effect after my announcement thereof or my duly designated representative.

Any provision or provisions of any law, regulation or executive order in conflict with this Decree is hereby set aside.

Done in the City of Manila, this 11th day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-two.

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

By the President:
(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Assistant Executive Secretary

Source: Malacañang Records Office