LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 88

TO    :      The Secretary of Agriculture And

        Natural Resources
        The Secretary of National Defense
        The Chief of Constabulary
        The Administrator, National Grains Authority
        All National and Local Officials Concerned

1.    The Philippine Constabulary and the National Grains Authority shall be jointly responsible for the following:

a.    To see to it that only licensed persons, natural or juridical, are engaging in the grains business;

b.    To pinpoint in each province/city, the location of all warehouses and other storage facilities of grains and/or their by-products;

c.    To determine in every province/city, the first five biggest grains producers, millers, traders and processors/manufacturers;

d.    To conduct an inventory of all grains stocks in warehouses and other storage facilities;

e.    To recommend to the Secretary of National Defense the arrest, investigation and prosecution of all suspected hoarders, price manipulators and violators of the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 4, National Grains Authority Rules and Regulations, Letter of Instructions No. 79, Agency Contract of the Cereal Procurement Program of the National Grains Authority and this Letter of Instructions.

a.    Order the sealing of warehouses, mills, manufacturing/ processing establishments utilizing grains and/or their by-products as ingredients in the manufacture of their finished products and other grains business establishments violating the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 4, National Grains Authority Rules and Regulations, Letter of Instructions No. 79, Agency Contract of the Cereal Procurement Program of the National Grains Authority and this Letter of Instructions;

b.    With the assistance of the Philippines Constabulary, take over control of the operations of mills and warehouses that have been sealed in accordance with the preceding paragraph.

c.    Confiscate and seize grains stocks stored in the warehouses and other storage facilities order sealed in the preceding paragraph; and

d.    Confiscate and seize stocks of industrial firms utilizing grains and/or other by-products as ingredients in the manufacture of their finished products if such manufacturers/processors are found over-stocking grains in excess of their normal raw material requirements as may be determined by the National Grains Authority.

a.    Physically seal such warehouses, mills, industrial firms and/or other storage facilities in coordination with the National Grains Authority;

b.    Provide security to sealed warehouses, mills, industrial firms and other storage facilities containing confiscated or seized stocks by the National Grains Authority; and

c.    Effect the arrest of owners, proprietors, operators as ordered by appropriate authorities.

a.    Trading and movement of grains from one province to another shall be under the direct supervision and control of the National Grains Authority with the assistance of the Philippine Constabulary.

b.    The seized or confiscated grains stocks shall be sold by the National Grains Authority to the public at government price and the proceeds thereof shall be turned over to the owner, proprietor or operator after deducting all expenses incurred in connection therewith;

c.    The National Grains Authority and the Philippine Constabulary shall avail of all existing private facilities to include, but not limited to, the mills, driers, trucks, warehouses and manpower;

d.    The Department of National Defense shall, within its capability, provide vehicles for the effective implementation of this Letter of Instructions;

e.    All national and local officials may be called upon to give or render assistance; and

f.    A Coordinating Center shall be set up at Headquarters Philippine Constabulary to monitor all the related activities involved in this program.

Since 19.07.98.