Creation of a Cabinet Council on Economic Cooperation Among Developing Countries

November 19, 1979

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 958

WHEREAS, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) adopted Resolution 127 (V) during its fifth session in Manila, which provided for the convening of a Special Session of the Committee on Economic Cooperation Among Developing Countries (ECDC) in early 1980 to examine and assess the studies carried out by the UNCTAD Secretariat pursuant to resolution 1 (1) of that Committee; cd

WHEREAS, the Philippine Government is hosting the Asian Regional Meeting on ECDC in 1980 in preparation for the Special Session on ECDC;

WHEREAS, the Joint Communiqué of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at their meeting in Bali, Indonesia, 28–30 June 1979, expressed support for ECDA as an important element in the establishment of the New International Economic Order (NIEC) and decided that ASEAN should study the implications of ECDC on ASEAN and the ways and means by which ASEAN can contribute to ECDC activities;

WHEREAS, the ASEAN Economic Ministers at their 8th Meeting on 7–8 September 1979, in Manila have designated the Philippines as coordinator for ASEAN on ECDC matters;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Government as coordinator for ASEAN on ECDC matters will host an ASEAN meeting prior to the Asian Regional Meeting on ECDC for the purpose of formulating a common ASEAN position on ECDC;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Government attaches great importance to ECDC as a key element in the strategy of collective self-reliance and as an important contribution to the establishment of the NIEO; casia

WHEREAS, there is urgent need to formulate the Philippine position in regard to the priority areas of ECDC as indicated in the First Short Medium Term Action Plan for Global Priorities on ECDC adopted at the Fourth Ministerial Meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania in February 1979;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order the following:

A Cabinet Council on Economic Cooperation among Developing Countries is hereby created.

The Chairman of the Council shall be the Minister for Foreign Affairs with the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority as Co-Chairman, the Minister of Trade as Vice-Chairman and the Minister of Industry as Co-Vice-Chairman. The other members of the Council shall be the following: cdt

1. The Minister of Finance

2. The Minister of Energy

3. The Minister of Natural Resources

4. The Minister of Agriculture

5. The Head of the Presidential Management Staff

6. The Head of the Technology Resource Center

The Chairman of the Council shall designate other government agencies as members of the body as the need arises.

The Council shall be responsible for identifying issues pertaining to ECDC of primary interest to the Philippines and to formulate and coordinate the Philippine position on such issues.

The Council shall form an inter-agency technical group to discuss and formulate recommendations on the substantive issues of ECDC. aisa dc

The Council shall establish a secretariat within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Chairman of the Council shall establish a system of honoraria and allowances for the inter-agency technical group.

The Chairman of the Council is hereby empowered to request any agency of the Philippine Government to assist in the discharge of the duties and responsibilities of the Council and to designate such personnel, including, consultants, it may require for the purpose.

The Budget Commission is hereby directed to appropriate and release the amount of ninety thousand pesos (P90,000.00) for the financial and operational requirements of the Council for the period beginning from the establishment of this Council until the convening of the Special Session of the Committee on ECDC in 1980, from the Special Activities Fund. cd

The Council shall formulate and adopt its implementing rules and regulations.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 19th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Nine.