PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 1784

ABOLISHING THE COUNCILS FOR THE PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA CREATED UNDER LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 587 IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 576, AS AMENDED BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1776

WHEREAS, shortly after the proclamation of a state of martial law government supervision of the media of mass communication was terminated because the various sectors of mass media had proven themselves capable of self-regulation and responsible conduct;

WHEREAS, the councils for the print and broadcast media created under Letter of Instructions No. 587 in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 576 had further raised the level of responsibility, respect for law and competence for self-regulation in the mass media;

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

Section 1. Presidential Decree No. 576, dated November 9, 1974, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1776, is hereby repealed.

Section 2. The councils for print and broadcast media created under Letter of Instructions No. 587 in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 576, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1776, are hereby abolished.

Section 3. The print and broadcast media may, however, in accord with their demonstrated regard for excellence and a high sense of responsibility as constant objectives, establish other self-regulatory bodies of their own in such form and with rules and regulations as they may respectively see fit.

Section 4. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-one.