Executive Order No. 61, February 27, 1993

MODIFYING THE NOMENCLATURE AND RATES OF IMPORT DUTY OF CERTAIN ARTICLES UNDER SECTION 104 OF THE TARIFF AND CUSTOMS CODE OF 1978, AS AMENDED, IN IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 23 (10) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7607, THE MAGNA CARTA OF SMALL FARMERS

WHEREAS, it is the declared policy of the State to give the highest priority to the development of agriculture through the empowerment of small farmers;

WHEREAS, in pursuance of this policy, the State shall provide incentives to small farmers so as to accelerate productivity and to promote self-sufficiency and full development of agricultural potentials;

WHEREAS, the Magna Carta of Small Farmers in Section 23 affords small farmers various incentives and support, including the disallowance of the importation of agricultural products that are produced locally in sufficient quantity;

WHEREAS, the National Economic and Development Authority, the Departments of Agriculture, Finance, Trade and Industry, and other concerned agencies have recommended modifying the rates of import duty on meat of bovine animals, fresh, chilled, or frozen, corn and feed wheat, under Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, as amended, to implement the letter and spirit of Section 23 of the Magna Carta of Small Farmers;

WHEREAS, the President of the Philippines is authorized under Section 401 of the said Tariff and Customs Code to, among others, “increase, reduce or remove existing protective rates of import duty (including any necessary change in classification)” and “establish import quota or to ban imports of any commodity”;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. The articles listed in Annex “A” hereof as classified under Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, as amended, shall have the classification and rate of import duty to be applied in stages in accordance with the schedules indicated opposite each article; Provided, that the rates of duty indicated in said Annex “A” shall continue to be levied, imposed and collected in the succeeding years until otherwise modified.

Section 2. The classification and the rates of import duties of the other articles under Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, as amended, which are not affected by Section 1 hereof, shall remain in force and effect.

Section 3. Upon the effectivity of this Executive Order, the aforementioned articles in Annex “A” which are entered or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption in the Philippines shall be subject to the rates of duty prescribed herein.

Section 4. All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby revoked or modified accordingly.

Section 5. This Executive Order shall take effect thirty (30) days following its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

DONE in the City of Manila this 27th day of February in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Three.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) ANTONIO T. CARPIO

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel