EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 578 - MODIFYING THE RATES OF IMPORT DUTY ON CERTAIN IMPORTED ARTICLES UNDER SECTION 104 OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1464, AS AMENDED, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE CONCESSION RATES OF DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES SET FORTH IN SCHEDULE LXXV — PHILIPPINES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS STIPULATED IN THE GENEVA (1979) PROTOCOL TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE

Pursuant to the powers vested in me by Sec. 402 of Presidential Decree No. 1464, as amended, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby direct and order:

Section 1. The articles specifically listed in Annex “A” hereof classified under Section 104 of Presidential Decree No. 1464, as amended, shall be accorded the tariff concession rate specified in column 4 to be applied by stages in accordance with the schedule indicated opposite each article as listed in the aforecited Annex A.

Sec. 2. In the event that any subsequent changes are made in the basic Philippine rate to a rate lower than the concession rate of duty on any of the articles listed in the above-mentioned Annex “A”, such articles shall automatically be accorded the corresponding reduced rate of duty.

Sec. 3. The concession rates of duty indicated in Column 4 Annex “A” hereof shall apply only to GATT contracting parties and to countries with an agreement with the Philippine in force and effect providing for the most-favoured-nation treatment on tariffs.

Sec. 4. The articles specifically listed in Annex “B” hereof as classified under Section 104 of Presidential Decree No. 1464, as amended, shall pay the rate of duty specified in Column 3 and shall not be subject to any tariff rate higher than the rate specified in Column 4, of said Annex “B”.

Sec. 5. In the event that any subsequent changes are made in the basic Philippine rate of duty on any of the articles listed in the above-mentioned Annex “B” the applicable rate of duty shall be in accordance with the following:

a. with respect to a subsequent change by reduction of the basic Philippine rate of duty on the articles listed in Annex B hereof such articles shall automatically be accorded the reduced rate of duty.

b. with respect to a subsequent change by increase of the basic Philippine rate of duty in the articles listed in Annex B —

i. such articles shall be subject to the increased rate of duty provided such increased rate does not exceed the concession rate specified in Column 4 of Annex B;

ii. such articles shall be accorded the concession rate specified in Column 4 of Annex B hereof, if the increased rate of duty exceeds the rate specified in Column 4 of Annex B.

Sec. 6. After the effective date of this Order, all the above-described articles entered or withdrawn from warehouse in the Philippines for consumption shall be subject to the rates of duty herein prescribed.  

Sec. 7. This Order shall take effect as of 1 January, 1980.

Done in the City of Manila, this 7th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty.