WHEREAS, there is a necessity to insure the orderly recording and keeping of mining instruments and documents required or allowed to be registered under Commonwealth Act No. 137, as amended, and its implementing rules and regulations;

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 decree:

SECTION 1. The registers of deeds as ex-officio mining recorders under Commonwealth Act No. 137 shall continue to act as such mining recorders for the registration of mining instruments or documents, except original declarations of location, pertaining or relating to, or affecting mining claims located or mining rights acquired prior to May 18, 1974 under Commonwealth Act No. 137, as amended, and the implementing rules and regulation thereof, and shall be responsible for the safekeeping of such recorded instruments or documents in their custody and the issuance of certified true copies thereof, subject to the payment of such fees as may be determined by the Director of Mines with the approval of the Secretary of Natural Resources. Such fees shall accrue to the province or city concerned and shall be allocated for the facilities and service that may be required to keep and maintain the Office of the Mining Recorder.

SEC. 2. Mining instruments and documents required or allowed to be registered under Presidential Decree No. 483 after May 18, 1974, shall be recorded with the Mines Regional Officers and such other persons as may be appointed or designated by the Director of Mines. The Director shall be responsible for the proper recording of such documents and instruments and shall issue such forms, rules and regulations to implement this Decree.

SEC. 3. Any provisions of existing law, decree, order or regulation, inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 4. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 19th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.