PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 1737-A

AMENDING SECTION 4 OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 576 ENTITLED "ABOLISHING THE MEDIA ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE BUREAU OF STANDARDS FOR MASS MEDIA, AND AUTHORIZING THE ORGANIZATION OF REGULATORY COUNCILS FOR PRINT MEDIA AND FOR BROADCAST MEDIA"

WHEREAS, mass media are a potent means of mass communication which can be effectively utilized by subversive elements in furthering their causes;

WHEREAS, in the interest of national security, there is need to regulate the utilization of mass media;

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

Section 1. Section 4 of Presidential Decree No. 576 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 4. No mass media activity shall be undertaken by any person or entity in the Philippines without first being registered with the regulatory council or body concerned, which shall issue certificates of registration to all applicants qualified under its respective rules or regulations: Provided, That each council shall have the authority to suspend or cancel such certificates of registration for such cause as may be provided in the rules and the existence of which each council or body shall have duly determined: Provided, further, That no certificate of registration shall be granted in any manner or under any condition to any of those engaged in mass media which were, in September 1972, ordered closed and/or sequestered upon promulgation of Proclamation No. 1081, by order of the President or the Minister of National Defense, OR WHICH THEREAFTER MAY BE ORDERED CLOSED AS A CONSEQUENCE THAT IT HAS BEEN UTILIZED FOR PURPOSES OF SUBVERSION, SEDITION AND OTHER SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES INIMICAL TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY."

Section 2. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 12th day of September in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty.