Creating a National Committee to Celebrate the Honor of the Philippines as the ASEAN Cultural Capital (2010-2011)

March 1, 2010

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 281

CREATING A NATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE TO SUCCESSFULLY PLAN AND EXECUTE THE PROGRAMS TO CELEBRATE THE HONOR OF THE PHILIPPINES AS THE ASEAN CULTURAL CAPITAL (2010-2011) USHERED IN WITH THE AMCA-SOMCA MEETINGS AND THE 4TH ASEAN FESTIVAL OF ARTS TO BE HELD IN CLARK, PAMPANGA, ON MARCH 22-26, 2010

WHEREAS, the Philippines is honored for the first time with the title of ASEAN Cultural Capital as the host of the 4th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and the Arts (AMCA), AMCA+3, and 4th ASEAN Festival of Arts (AFA) scheduled in Pampanga in 22-26 March 2010, in conjunction with the observance of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Theater Institute (ITI), World Theater Week Observance and the United Nations International Women's Day Observance on the International Year of the Rapprochement of Culture and Biodiversity, as declared by the United Nations (UN);

WHEREAS, the honor can best be applied to project the Philippines as a cultural gateway to the ASEAN region in order to provide a heritage-habitat-history and arts-based tourism that can promote the creative industries and artistic products of our indigenous communities and those of member countries of ASEAN and strengthening its cultural interaction with the different continents of the world;

WHEREAS, UNESCO and ITI, through their respective resolutions, declared the Philippines as the venue for the UNESCO ITI World Congress held on 20-29 May 2006 and presided by UNESCO Director-General Kotchiro Matsuura himself;

WHEREAS, there is a need to recognize the Communique of the Heads of States 12th Summit Meeting held in Cebu in 12-15 January 2007 presided by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo;

WHEREAS, the Philippines has ratified the ASEAN Charter where the newly established social cultural committee has recognized the objective of strengthening ASEAN awareness and building a sense of regional community and social concerns of reaching out to vulnerable groups to guarantee education for all, environmental sustainability, food security, and climate chance n adaptation and mitigation can be facilitated through culture as a force for communications and information in motivating the collective will to overcome poverty; ICacDE

WHEREAS, the Philippines during the 40th anniversary of ASEAN has hosted the ASEAN Performance and Media Arts Workshop, "Ancestral Roots to New Routes of Artistic Expression: Mobilizing Cultural Diversity to Achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals: (UN MDGs); with the support of the ASEAN Secretary-General in 2007 following the successful holding of the UNESCO-ITI 31st Congress in Manila in 2006 attended by Director-General Matsuura;

WHEREAS, a national organizing committee is incumbent on the Philippine Government to undertake such preparations in the successful execution that will be ushered in with an event in Pampanga and with continuous meaningful and relevant programs throughout the country;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Composition of the National Committee. — I hereby designate the following or their duly authorized representatives to compose the National Committee:

Chairperson	:	Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs
Co-Chairperson	:	Chairman, National Commission for Culture and the Arts
Vice Chairperson	:	Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development
Co-Vice Chairpersons	:	Secretary, Department of Tourism
		Secretary, Department of Education
Members	:	Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources
		Chairman, Commission on Higher Education
		Secretary, Department of Health
		Director-General, National Anti-Poverty Commission
		Director-General, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
		Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment
		Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform
		Secretary, Department of Interior and Local Government
		Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways
		Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry
		Secretary, Department of Science and Technology
		Secretary, Department of National Defense
		Secretary, Department of Agriculture
		Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications
		Press Secretary
		Vice-Chairman/Executive Director, Climate Change Commission
		Secretary of the Philippine Information Agency
		Presidential Adviser/National Commission on Youth
		Chairman, Commission on Human Rights
		President, Clark Development Corporation
		Executive Director, National Sports Commission
		Executive Director, National Indigenous Peoples Commission
		Executive Director, Office of Muslim Affairs
		President, International Theater Institute-Philippine Center
		Chairman, National Sports Commission
		President, Cultural Center of the Philippines

SECTION 2. Functions of the National Committee. — The National Committee shall prepare the appropriate two-year national program to implement the honor of the Philippines as the ASEAN Cultural Capital, which shall be implemented throughout the regions of the Philippines. The National Committee shall also undertake the necessary preparations for the participation of concerned agencies in national and international conferences — highlighting the role of the Philippines as ASEAN Cultural Capital — the development of educational and communication materials and other such functions as the committee may deem necessary to effect such mandate.

Particularly, the National Committee shall undertake the preparations for and ensure the orderly and successful conduct of the 4th ASEAN Festival of the Arts, the 4th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA), AMCA+3, the 7th Senior Officials Meeting for Culture and Arts (SOMCA), and SOMCA+3 on 22-26 March 2010.

The National Committee may secure the cooperation of all government and private instrumentalities to ensure the success of its program. It shall be in liaison with the appropriate Senate and House committees. The National Committee shall organize a Secretariat co-chaired by the Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the President of the ITI-Philippine Center/UNESCO, in liaison with the Department of Foreign Affairs, coordinating with various agencies that will implement the programs and projects of the National Committee, which will include staff members coordinating for the indigenous people; environmental non-government organizations (NGOs) and eco-communications groups; coordinating with media groups and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP); with Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and educational institutions in the tertiary level; for the business sector; Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines and other groups such as the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) to assist hospitality needs; and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for Metro Manila Mayors and for venue needs utilize the newly-restored Metropolitan Theater, Fort Santiago with the Intramuros Administration (IA) and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) as base of performances and exhibitions in Manila and working throughout the regions to focus on the wealth of cultural diversity for the UN MDGs.

The National Committee may create such subcommittees as it may deem necessary.

SECTION 3. Funding. — The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this Administrative Order shall be funded jointly by budgetary appropriations from the government and from private sector contributions and from available funds as may be identified by the Department of Budget and Management.

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. — All provisions of Administrative Order No. 28, Series of 1993, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Administrative Order are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. SHCaDA

SECTION 5. Effectivity. — This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 1st day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Ten. 

n Note from the Publisher: Copied verbatim from the official copy.