[ LETTER OF INSTRUCTION NO. 535, April 22, 1977 ]

TO:
All Heads of Departments, Agencies and Offices of the Government

(REQUIRING AT LEAST 10% OF FIELD MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS OF GOVERNMENT- SPONSORED PROJECTS BE PROVIDED THRU THE EMPLOYMENT OF DEACTIVATED CIVILIAN HOME DEFENSE FORCE MEMBERS, SPECIAL POLICEMEN, SPECIAL PROVINCIAL GUARDS AND REBEL RETURNEES.)

WHEREAS, pursuant to Presidential Memorandum Order 516 dated 16 January 1975, as amended by Presidential Memorandum Order No. 041 dated 17 October 1975, a sizeable number of rebels had returned to the fold of law;

WHEREAS, a trend towards normalcy has been perceived necessitating a reduction in the size of the forces under arms;

WHEREAS, the para-military bodies composed of Civilian Home Defense Forces, Special Police and Special Provincial Guards will be the first group to be deactivated;

WHEREAS, members of the cultural communities are a source of untapped manpower and are in need of work opportunities/involvement;

WHEREAS, the combined size of these prospective idle manpower is a potential source of a myriad of social problems if they cannot be kept busy and/or provided with gainful employment;

WHEREAS, the cost of preventing the occurrence of pertinent social problems is minimal compared to the actual cost of solving them after they have arisen;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and direct:
  1. That at least 10% of the field manpower requirement of government-sponsored projects undertaken directly by government  and/or private contractors shall be drawn from deactivated para-military force members and rebel returnees, who accrued in the Integrated Home Defense Force (ICHDF) program;
  2. That the Chief of Staff, AFP, shall with the approval of the Secretary of National Defense, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this Letter of Instruction;
  3. That all departments, agencies and offices of the government shall be furnished by the AFP a schedule and list of all Civilian Home Defense Force members, Special Policemen and Special Provincial Guards, Rebels Returnees and members of the cultural communities separated from the service/deactivated by category of skills.
Done in the City of Manila, this 22nd day of April, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-seven.

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