Constitution of a Special Committee to Review the Philippine Population Program

January 24, 1978

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 661

WHEREAS, the Philippine Population Program is a major activity of the government which must be reviewed in the light of the approved Five-Year Philippine Development Plan, 1978-1982; cdt

WHEREAS, the Philippine Population Program must be evaluated and formulated in its totality, i.e., not only in terms of family planning service packaging and delivery, but also in the context of wider ranging socio-economic programs and policies;

WHEREAS, the concept of family planning must be redefined as family planning and welfare, i.e., the ultimate goal of the family planning program is not simply the reduction of fertility, but the improvement of the quality of life of the family and society;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby direct that a Special Committee to Review the Philippine Population Program be constituted. This Committee shall evaluate policies and programs related to population in the context of the overall development goals of the country and shall further prepare, deliberate on and recommend program and policy directions in population for the future.

1.  In pursuit of these objectives, the Committee shall undertake the following specific tasks:

a.  To report on the existing demographic situation, including trends and patterns of population growth composition and distribution; skills and characteristics of the population; and magnitude and characteristics of the population movements.

b.  To undertake an in-depth review and analysis of existing population policies and programs related to population; to evaluate the effectiveness of such policies and programs; and to identify organizational, financial, statistical, policy-related or program-related gaps and bottlenecks.

c.  To recommend program and policy thrusts for the next five years within a ten-year perspective.

d.  To prepare an inventory of completed, on-going and planned research on population issues.

e.  To identify research gaps in population and to evaluate the relevance and usefulness of population-related research activities.

f.  To evolve a research program on population indicating priority areas and suggesting timetables.

2.  The Committee shall be organized by the Population Commission and shall be composed of an inter-disciplinary group of experts from the private and government sectors. Experts, agencies and instrumentalities of the government not sitting in the Committee proper may be called upon to assist in the work of the Committee. All government officials asked to serve or assist in the work of the Committee may be relieved of some of their responsibilities in order to allow them to devote more time to the review effort. Those coming from the private sector are enjoined to do likewise.

3.  The Committee is authorized to receive and disburse a budget subject to guidelines to be set by the Population Commission.

4.  The Committee shall submit a report to the President of the Philippines through the Population Commission and the National Economic and Development Authority on dates to be determined by NEDA. aisa dc

The provisions of this Letter of Instructions shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 24th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Eight.