WHEREAS, the present provisions of the Special Calamity Fund Act of 1972 specifically provide, under Section 1 thereof, that "no funds herein appropriated shall be expended beyond March 31, 19 73; any unexpended balance alter March 31, 1973, whether obligated or not, shall automatically revert to the General Fund, except those for ongoing projects started before March 31, 1,973, disbursements for which may be authorized until but not beyond June 30, 1973";

WHEREAS, there are outstanding obligations for materials used and services rendered in ongoing calamity projects started before March 31, 1973, which had not been paid on or before June 30, 1973;

WHEREAS, most of these unpaid materials had been purchased through the linkage agreement with the Development Bank of the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, these obligations cannot be settled unless the present provisions of the Special Calamity Fund Act is amended to authorize disbursements for these obligations beyond June 30, 1973;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested 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, and General Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby promulgate this Decree as part of the law of the land:

SECTION 1. The provisions of Section 1 of the Special Calamity Fund Act of 1972 is hereby amended to authorize payment of obligations for materials used and services rendered in calamity projects from the unexpended balances of the Calamity Fund appropriated and released according to said Act beyond June 30, 1973.

SEC. 2. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 23rd day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.