TO:	The Minister of Public Highways The Chairman, Commission on Audit

[DIRECTING THE GRANT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND JUST COMPENSATION TO OWNERS OF LOTS ACQUIRED UNDER THE PUBLIC LAND LAW AND AFFECTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF BORONGAN AIRPORT, EASTERN SAMAR]

WHEREAS, in the actual survey of the site needed for the construction of the Borongan Airport, it was found out that it would affect lots that were acquired under the Public Land Law;

WHEREAS, tinder the Public Land Law, as amended by Presidential Decrees Nos. 635 and 1361, the government is entitled to a reservation of 20-meter or 6-meter strip, as the case may be, for the prosecution of government infrastructure projects, free of cost;

WHEREAS, the construction of this project was suspended because of the refusal of lot owners to vacate their lots affected, unless they are paid for the value thereof;

WHEREAS, further delay in the construction of this project would adversely affect both the socio-economic development and the maintenance of peace and order in the entire areas;

WHEREAS, considering the economic predicament of the people, especially in Borongan, Samar which had been recently ravaged by typhoons and other natural calamities, their social and economic conditions have worsened taking into account that they are living in a depressed area;

WHEREAS, to alleviate the pitiful condition of these people, the administration had decided, under Letter of Instruction No. 861, to grant owners of lots financial assistance in the amount of five hundred pesos (P500.00) per hectare of lot taken by the government, to enable them to move to new residential sites;

WHEREAS, the residents concerned have made an urgent appeal for reconsideration alleging that the amount of financial assistance being given by the government is very nominal and inadequate to enable them to transfer to new residential sites, and that unless the same is increased, they would not be in a position financially to move out of the area.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, order and instruct:

1. The release of the amount of seventy-thousand pesos (P70.000.00) to provide assistance and just compensation to owners of lots acquired under the Public Land Law, which shall be taken by the government for the construction of Borongan Airport.
   
2. This amount of seventy thousand pesos (70.000.00) authorized to be released for this purpose shall be prorated to all lot owners, whose lots are partially or totally taken by the government for the construction of the airport project in accordance with the corresponding area taken from each of them, as shall be determined and verified in a final survey to be undertaken by engineers of tho Ministry of Public Highways.
   
3. This Letter of Instruction supersedes LOI 861 and shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 25th day of May, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-nine.