Amendments to R.A. No. 621 (UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines)

April 13, 1964

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3849

AN ACT TO FURTHER AMEND REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE, ENTITLED "AN ACT CREATING UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION NATIONAL COMMISSION OF THE PHILIPPINES," AS AMENDED

 Section two of Republic Act Numbered Six hundred Twenty-one, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Eight hundred ninety-two, is further amended to read as follows: cd i

"Sec. 2. The Commission shall be composed of appointive and ex officio members. The following shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments:

"(a) Twenty-seven shall be designated by the President of the Republic of the Philippines through the Commissions upon recommendation of organizations interested in educational, scientific and cultural matters affiliated with and duly registered in the Commission: Provided, That the organization to be represented in the Commission shall be determined on the basis of criteria to be prescribed by the Commission; And provided, further, That no person shall be appointed to the Commission who is not morally and academically qualified to represent his organization;

"(b) Twelve shall represent educational, scientific and cultural agencies of the Government; and acd

"(c) Four shall be designated at the discretion of the President.

"The Chairman of the Committee on Education, Senate, and the Chairman, Committee on Education, House of Representatives, shall serve as ex officio members with the same rights and privileges as those enjoyed by appointive members.

"A Chairman and a Vice-Chairman shall be elected by the Commission to serve for a term of three years without the right to hold over and may be elected for a second term only. The Chairman shall be the presiding officer of the Commission and shall be the Head ex officio of the Executive Committee herein provided."

 Section three of the same Act, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Eight hundred ninety-two, is further amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 3. The Commission shall create an executive committee and such other committees or subcommittees as may be necessary for the effective and efficient performance of its powers and duties as the public interest may require and shall establish regional offices to further promote the cause of UNESCO.

"There shall also be a Secretariat to be headed by an executive secretary who shall act as the Secretary of the Commission, its committees or sub-committees and shall attend to all administrative matters of the Commission." cdt

 Section four of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 4. The members of the Commission shall serve in honorary capacity and shall receive no compensation or remuneration except travelling expenses and per diems of twenty pesos for each day of actual attendance in the sessions of the Commission, its committees, or sub-committees."

 Section five of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 5. The members of the Commission shall serve for a term of three years: Provided, however, That one-third of the members appointed under this Act shall serve for one year, one-third for two years and one-third for three years which shall be indicated in their appointments."

 Section six of the same Act, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Eight hundred ninety-two, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 6. The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

"(a) To meet at least once a year in such date and place as it might designate;

"(b) To promulgate rules and regulations for the conduct of its own affairs;

"(c) To advise the Government of the Philippines on matters, relating to the UNESCO and on the best ways and means by which educational, scientific and cultural developments could be best taken advantage of by the Philippines; cd i

"(d) To recommend to the President the membership of delegations to general conferences of UNESCO and related meetings, workshops, seminars and conferences abroad to which Philippine representation is invited;

"(e) To serve as a liaison agency between the Government of the Philippines and the UNESCO;

"( f ) To associate the principal bodies in the Philippines actually interested in educational, scientific and cultural matters with the work of the UNESCO;

"(g) To submit an annual report to the President and the Congress of its activities and accomplishments during the year;

"(h) To enter, through the Chairman, into contracts needed in the performance of the Commission's duties;

"(i) To administer all funds from all sources, including foreign aid in accordance with existing accounting and auditing requirements; and

"( j) To receive directly all correspondence and other mail matters pertaining to UNESCO and to channel them to parties concerned."

 A new section is hereby inserted between Section six and Section seven of the same Act, as amended, to be known as Section six-A, to read as follows:

"Sec. 6-A. The Chairman with the approval of the Commission is authorized to receive gifts, donations, bequest, and subventions directly from governments, public and private institutions, associations and private persons." cdt

 Section seven of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 7. The amount of five hundred thousand pesos or so much thereof as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act is hereby appropriated from the funds of the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, this amount shall be included in the yearly appropriations for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization National Commission of the Philippines."

SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: April 13, 1964 cd i

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 60, No. 36, p. 5498 on September 7, 1964