Publishing the Full Text of Proclamation No. 161 of the Office of the President of the Philippines

March 3, 2003 REVENUE MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 11-03 SUBJECT : Publishing the Full Text of PROCLAMATION NO. 161 of the Office of the President of the Philippines Dated February 28, 2002 Entitled DECLARING THE PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 28 TO MARCH 6, 2002 AND EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER AS NATIONAL PEACE CONSCIOUSNESS WEEK TO : All Internal Revenue Officers, Employees and Others Concerned For the information and attendance of all internal revenue officers, employees and others concerned, quoted hereunder is the full text of Proclamation No. 161 of the Office of the President of the Philippines dated February 28, 2002: "MALACAANG Manila BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION NO. 161 DECLARING THE PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 28 TO MARCH 6, 2002 AND EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER AS NATIONAL PEACE CONSCIOUSNESS WEEK WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 3, s. 2001, mandates the continuing pursuit of a comprehensive peace process along six major peace-making and peace-building components, otherwise known as the Six Paths to Peace, to wit: 1. Pursuit of social, economic and political reforms to address the root causes of armed conflicts and social unrest; 2. Consensus-building and empowerment for peace through consultations and people participation. 3. Peaceful, negotiated settlement with different rebel groups and the effective implementation of peace agreements; 4. Programs for reconciliation, reintegration into mainstream society and rehabilitation of former rebels and their communities; 5. Addressing concerns arising from continuing armed conflicts, such as the protection of non-combatants and the reduction of the impact of armed conflicts on communities; and 6. Building and nurturing a climate conducive to peace through peace education and advocacy programs and confidence-building measures. WHEREAS, there is a need to instill greater consciousness and understanding among the Filipino people on the comprehensive peace process to strengthen and sustain institutional and popular support for and participation in this effort, as well as in the global movement spearheaded by the United Nations to promote a Culture of Peace based on non-violence, respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, tolerance, understanding and solidarity; NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the period from February 28 to March 6, 2002 and every year thereafter as National Peace Consciousness Week. All concerned Government agencies and instrumentalities, including local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, as well as members of the private sector and civil society groups, are hereby enjoined and encouraged to initiate and participate in relevant and meaningful activities in celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Week to instill greater consciousness and understanding among the Filipino people of the comprehensive peace process and the culture of peace agenda. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) shall be the lead Government agency to coordinate and monitor the observance of the National Peace Consciousness Week. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed. Done in the City of Manila, this 28th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand and two. (SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO By the President: (SGD.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO Executive Secretary" All revenue officials and employees are enjoined to give this circular as wide a publicity as possible. ECTSDa (SGD.) ESTELITA C. AGUIRRE Deputy Commissioner Resource Management Group February 18, 2003 DOF MEMORANDUM FOR : All Heads of Bureaus and Attached Agencies This Department FROM : Director Lourdes Z. Santiago SUBJECT : NATIONAL PEACE CONSCIOUSNESS WEEK FEBRUARY 28 TO MARCH 6, 2003 This is to inform that the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) enjoins all government agencies to join in the celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Week from 28 February to 06 March 2003, pursuant to Proclamation No. 161 dated 28 February 2002, This year's theme is "Pambansang Pagkakaisa Tungo sa Kapayapaan". In this connection, all offices are requested to undertake the following peace activities in observance of the said event: Recitation of the Harmony Prayer during Monday morning Flag Raising ceremony on March 3, 2003; Display within your agency's premises of the National Peace Consciousness Week streamer which the OPAPP will provide; Joining the Peace Caravan on 04 March 2003; Sending of representatives to the Peace Process Lecture-Forum on 06 March 2003. Attached, for reference, are copies of Proclamation No. 161, Calendar of Activities and Harmony Prayer. Thank you for your usual cooperation in this undertaking. (SGD.) LOURDES Z. SANTIAGO Director IV Central Administration Office NATIONAL PEACE CONSCIOUSNESS WEEK CELEBRATION PROPOSED CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES FEBRUARY 28 Airing of Message by the President and the PAPP on TV Friday and Radio National Peace Consciousness Week announcement and schedule published in major dailies MARCH 1 UNESCO-ASP Network YES TO PEACE MARCH from CCP Saturday Complex to Quirino Grandstand with Peace Concert Special Edition of the KAPAYAPAAN . . . PAG-USAPAN Radio Program MARCH 2 TV Mass Sunday Reading of Pastoral Letter in churches MARCH 3 Signing of MOA between DepEd and OPAPP on the Monday Establishment of Peace Education and Advocacy Coordinating Teams within DepEd Start of 4-day Peace Camp (2nd Asia-Pacific Youth Leaders Encounter) by UNESCO-ASP Showing of OPAPP Peace Process Video Documentation (Channel 4) Reading of Harmony Prayer in schools and offices MARCH 4 PEACE CARAVAN Tuesday MARCH 5 Presentation of the Results of the YES FOR PEACE Campaign (Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) MARCH 6 Continuing Education for Peace Program Lecture-Forum: Thursday A Decade of the Philippine Comprehensive Peace Process Presentor: Social Weather Station HARMONY PRAYER O Lord, I cry for peace, Purify my eyes to see peace, Purify my mind to understand peace, Purify my heart to love peace, Purify my memory to work for peace; The peace that comes from your love and compassion. O Lord, sustain my vision of peace following your inspiration, You have many ways of revealing your presence and love for humanity, But your style is constant; You are in dialogue with all, You care for all. Make me O Lord, a sign of your peace, Living a life-in-dialogue with you to understand your silence and seek your presence; In dialogue with myself to rediscover the meaning of life; In dialogue with others to move together in harmony with all; And in dialogue with creation to care for the earth. Give me, O Lord, the courage to live in dialogue in the midst of divisions and conflicts and to build peace with all people of sincere hearts who believe in your love and compassion. Amen.