Administrative Order No. 256 (1996)

MALACAÑAN PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Administrative Order No. 256, April 17, 1996 ]

CREATING A NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE YEARLY CELEBRATION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE FROM 1996 UP TO 1997

WHEREAS, 1996 and 1997 are the last two years before the commemoration of the centennial of the declaration of Philippine Independence;

WHEREAS, there is a need to properly coordinate all activities leading to the centennial celebration of the Philippine Independence.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, pursuant to the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create a National Committee to take charge of the yearly celebration of Philippine Independence every 12th of June starting 1996 up to 1997.

Section 1. The National Committee, which shall meet at the call of the Chairman, shall be composed of the following:

Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports | Chairman Chairman, National Centennial Commission | Co-Chairman Secretary of Finance | Co-Chairman Secretary of Foreign Affairs | Member Secretary of Public Works and Highways | Member Secretary of Labor and Employment | Member Secretary of National Defense | Member Secretary of Trade and Industry | Member Secretary of Interior and Local Government | Member Secretary of Tourism | Member Secretary of Transportation and Communications | Member Secretary of Science and Technology | Member Secretary of Budget and Management | Member Press Secretary | Member Secretary of Agriculture | Member Director General, National Economic and Development Authority | Member Chairman, Government Service Insurance System | Member Administrator, Social Security System | Member Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines | Member Director-General, National Economic and Development Authority | Member Director-General, Philippine National Police | Member Head of the Presidential Management Staff | Member Chief, Protocol Office, Office of the President | Member Director-General, Philippine Information Agency | Member Chairman, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority | Member Executive Director, National Historical Institute | Member Executive Director, National Commission for Culture and the Arts | Member Executive Director, National Parks Development Committee | Member Eight (8) Private Sector Representatives who shall be appointed by the National Committee Chairman | Member

Section 2. To assist the National Committee, an Executive Committee is hereby created, the members of which shall be designated by the Chairman of the National Committee.

Section 3. The National Committee Chairman is hereby authorized to call upon any department, bureau, office or instrumentality of the government, including government-owned or controlled corporations to extend all necessary assistance to the National and Executive Committees. These instrumentalities of the government are hereby authorized to allocate from their respective fund, any amount which they may deem necessary to ensure the successful yearly celebration of the Anniversary of Philippine Independence, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

Section 4. An initial fund in the amount of SIX MILLION PESOS (P6,000,000.00) from the Presidents Contingent Fund shall be released for the 1996 celebration of Philippine Independence.

Section 5. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 17th day of April in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES

Executive Secretary