By virtue of the powers vested in me by law, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby create a decoration to be known as the Order of Kalantiao, to be awarded to any citizen of the Philippines for exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic in the administration of justice and in the field of law.

The Order of Kalantiao shall be divided into four ranks:

1. First class	-	for extraordinary services and high standard of performance in the judicial branch of government, notably in the Supreme Court, or in the field of international law;
2. Second class	-	for exceptionally meritorious services in the judicial and other branches of government;
3. Third class	-	for outstanding services in the administration of justice in the government.
4. Fourth class	-	for excellent services in the enhancement of the rule of law and high degree of professionalism and integrity in private law practice.

The Order may be awarded posthumously to any person entitled thereto, in which case it shall be received by his legal heirs; if there be no legal heir, by his nearest of kin; if there be no heir or nearest of kin, by any person designated by the President of the Philippines, or the Secretary of Justice, acting by authority of the President, to receive the award on behalf of the deceased.

The form, make and design of the decoration shall prescribed in such rules and regulations is may be proposed by the Philippine Heraldry Committee and approved by the President of the Philippines.

Done in the City of Manila, this 1st day of March, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-one.


By the President:

(SGD.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary