[ LETTER OF INSTRUCTION NO. 134, September 24, 1973 ]
TO: | The Commissioner Bureau of Customs Manila |
In order to hasten the completion of the Pasig River Development Project through a sustained and continuous clearing of the Pasig river, adjoining esteros and waterways within the Greater Manila area of derelicts and other discarded matters, and to enable the authorized salvors or salved derelicts to recover the early return of their investment and thereby replenish their operating capital, I hereby direct that settlement of the salvage claim on and/or disposition of those salved derelicts be expedited by adopting, as an exception to the technical requirements of the Salvage Law, the following procedures:
- That, upon receipt of the salvors' report on the successful salvage of any derelict, known owner(s) and rightful party(ies) thereto must immediately be informed thereof in seventy-two (72) hours within which to file their claim, otherwise the same shall immediately be awarded to the salving party by way of salvage compensation.
- With respect to those the owner(s) or rightful party(ies) of which are unknown, the salved derelicts shall be published for public bidding for three successive days in a newspaper of general circulation, after which, bidding shall immediately be held as scheduled. Should there be no bidder and/or should the highest bid offered thereon is insufficient to cover the reasonable salvage claim, such bid shall be denied and the salved derelict shall be awarded to the salving party.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
President
Republic of the Philippines