Memorandum Order No. 475 (1974)

MALACAÑAN PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 475, December 19, 1974 ]

CONSTITUTING THE PHILIPPINE PANEL OF DELEGATE TO THE 8TH SESSION OF THE FAO INTERGOVERNMENTAL GROUP ON HARD FIBERS, JANUARY 20-25, 1975, IN MANILA.

WHEREAS, it will be recalled that due to the Philippine request for a containing review of the world’s hard fiber market in 1955, the FAO Intergovernmental Group in Hard Fibers was finally established in 1966;

WHEREAS, even as abaca has always been one of the important items discussed at the Group’s session since its inception in 1966, it failed to sustain any international cooperation and commitment of assistance from any of the FAO member counties;

WHEREAS, the awakening of the world to the crisis of abaca fortunately came in the wake of the establishment of the New Society in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, come January 20-25, 1975, the Philippines will host the 8th Session of the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibers in Manila;

WHEREAS, the forthcoming Session, the first ever held in Asia and the second only outside of Rome, would serve as an appropriate and opportune venue through which the Philippine government could solidify domestic efforts to put the international affairs of abaca and of the other commercial fibers, including their by-products, in their proper perspective.

WHEREFORE, there is hereby constituted the Philippine Panel of delegates to represent the country in the 8th Session of the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibers to be held in Manila on January 20-25, 1975 the constitution of which shall be as follows:

Undersecretary J. D. Drilon, Jr. Department of Agriculture | Chairman Governor Cesar Lanuza Board of Investments | Vice-Chairman(Government Section) Mr. Bernardo G. Silverio President, Isarog Pulp & Paper Co. | Vice-Chairman (Private Sector) Mr. Sergio A. Barrera Assistant Secretary Department of Foreign Affairs | Member Mr. Jose M. Lawas Director, Regional Development Staff, NEDA | Member Mr. Juan Dy Reyes Officer-in-Charge, BFIS Department of Trade | Member Mr. Verden Dangilan Manager, Development Bank of the Philippines | Member Mr. Arcadio D. Sarmiento Office of the Secretary Department of Agriculture | Member Mr. Anton Larrauri President, Philippine Fiber Exporters Association | Member Mr. Paul Valdez, Jr. President, Mindanao Abaca Planters Association | Member Mr. Romeo Santos President, Camarines Sur Abaca Planters and Producers Association | Member Col. Francisco M. Gomez President, Gomez Cellulose International | Member Mr. Juan Miguel Romualdez President, Federation of Coir Producers and Exporters | Member

WHEREFORE, the Membership of the Philippine Panel to the Informal Meeting of Research Scientists which will be held simultaneously with the FAO Group’s Sessions is also hereby constituted as follows:

Mr. Joseph Madanba Director-General Philippine Council for Agricultural Research | Chairman Mr. Verdun Dangilan Manager, Development Bank of the Philippines | Vice-Chairman Mr. Jesus Alix Acting Director, Bureau of Agricultural Economics | Member Mr. Bernardo Castillo Director, Bureau of Plant Industry | Member Mr. Panfilo Tabora U.P. College of Agriculture | Member

By authority of the President:

(SGD.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR

Executive Secretary

Manila, December 19, 1974