Creation of Philippine National FAO Committee

June 19, 1965

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4594

AN ACT CREATING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL FAO (FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION) COMMITTEE

SECTION 1. There is hereby created under the President of the Republic of the Philippines the Philippine National FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Committee, hereinafter called the Committee. The Committee shall be composed of a Chairman, an Executive Secretary, and the following other Members: the directors of the Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Soils, Bureau of Lands, Bureau of Forestry, Bureau of Public Schools, Bureau of Health and Research Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Research Center of the National Science Development Board, Foreign Aid Coordination of the National Economic Council; the commissioners of the Philippine Fisheries Commission, Commission on Agricultural Productivity; the Chairman and General Manager, Philippine Coconut Administration; the General-Manager, PHILSUGIN; the Administrator, National Irrigation Administration; the Administrator, Agricultural Credit Administration; the Chief, Economic Affairs Division, Department of Foreign Affairs; and the Dean, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines.

The Chairman and the Executive Secretary of the Committee shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, but the latter shall be appointed in accordance with the Civil Service Law. No person shall be appointed as Chairman of the Committee unless he is a man of science, enjoys the respect of his peers, possesses broad knowledge of FAO affairs and wide experience in international conferences, has many years of administrative practice, and holds at least a Bachelors degree in Agriculture or its related equivalents. No person shall be appointed as Executive Secretary of the Committee unless he has technical training in food and agriculture, broad knowledge and extensive experience and interest in FAO and related matters, a working knowledge of one of the official languages of the FAO of the United Nations, and is a holder of at least a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Home Economics or related fields.

The Chairman shall be the head of the Committee and the presiding officer of its meetings. The Executive Secretary shall be a Member of the Committee and also the administrative officers of its Secretariat and the recorder of its deliberations. In the absence of the Chairman or in his inability to preside over a Committee meeting, the Members may elect a temporary chairman from among themselves to preside over such meeting. acd

The Chairman shall receive an annual compensation of eighteen thousand pesos plus a representation allowance of two thousand four hundred pesos annually. The Executive Secretary shall receive an annual compensation of twelve thousand pesos. The other Members of the Committee shall receive a per diem of twenty-five pesos each for every meeting of the Committee attended by them.

The Committee shall have such technical, secretarial and other personnel as may be necessary whose number and compensation shall be determined by the Committee. They shall be appointed by the Chairman in accordance with the Civil Service Law and their compensation shall be fixed in accordance with the scale of salaries and wages prescribed by the Wage and Position Classification Office.

SECTION 2. The Committee shall have the following general functions:

(1) Serve as the national liaison in securing direct and quick exchange of information between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, hereinafter called the Organization;

(2) Coordinate and administer all food and agriculture activities of the Government pertaining to food and agricultural production, and the distribution and marketing of agricultural products in the Philippines, and to this end, the Committee shall assist in the national effort to raise the levels of nutrition and standards of living of the Filipino people; improve the efficiency of food and agricultural production and distribution of agricultural products in the Philippines; and improve the living condition of the inhabitants of the Republic of the Philippines, especially those in the rural areas.

SECTION 3. The Committee shall have the following specific powers and duties:

(1) Bring to the attention of the Government agencies concerned the various technical as well as financial assistance being offered by the Organization;

(2) Receive project proposals for assistance and evaluate, in consultation with appropriate Government agencies, the feasibility of the projects submitted;

(3) In consultation with the National Economic Council, recommend selected projects arranged in the order of priority to the United Nations Technical Assistance Board or to the Organization Headquarters in Rome, for approval;

(4) Evaluate periodically the progress of on-going projects and make suggestions and recommendations as are necessary to execute the projects to a successful end; cd i

(5) Establish a regular senior research fellowship in the fields of agriculture, nutrition and home economics and related subjects similar to the FAO Andre Mayer Fellowship;

(6) Take original action on all candidatures for FAO scholarship, fellowship and practical technical training programs;

(7) Act on all invitations and form delegations and/or representations to international conferences, sessions, technical meetings, training centers, seminars, symposia, study groups, study tours sponsored or co-sponsored by the Organization;

(8) Maintain an adequate machinery which will ensure accuracy, continuity and uniformity of presentation of the data and information presented by the Philippine delegations to the various meetings of the Organization;

(9) Maintain a Philippine representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, Italy;

(10) Recommend measures for accelerating the development of food and agricultural production;

(11) Select nominees for practical training and fellowships and nominate representatives to training centers sponsored by the Organization, or co-sponsored by the Organization and Member Governments of the Organization, or sponsored by the United Nations itself and its specialized agencies; and

(12) Perform such other related functions which the President of the Philippines may assign to it from time to time.

SECTION 4. The Committee is empowered to call upon any officer or employee of any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the Government for such assistance as may be needed for the proper discharge of its functions.

SECTION 5. To carry out the purposes of this Act for the fiscal year nineteen hundred sixty-six, the sum of one million pesos is authorized to be appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the same to be expended by the Committee for its operation as follows:

(1) For salaries and wages;

(2) For sundry expenses consisting of transportation, and other expenses as well as per diems for travels of Philippine representatives to FAO-sponsored or co-sponsored conferences, seminars and other meetings, held locally or abroad; supplies and materials; lighting and illumination; telephone, telegraph, cable and radio services; publication of official organ; binding and printing of useful publications; rental of buildings; entertainment of local and visiting scientists; FAO officials and FAO specialists; and meal allowance of Committee Members including members of the secretarial staff and guests attending Committee meetings; for local expenses in holding FAO sponsored or co-sponsored international training centers, seminars, regional conferences, etc., when the Philippines is host thereof; and for bonus or honorarium for a consultant plus allowance for transportation;

(3) Purchase and repair of furniture and equipment including the purchase of one utility motor vehicle for official business; and

(4) Other services.

SECTION 6. Administrative Order Numbered Forty-one, issued by the President of the Philippines on June seventeen, nineteen hundred forty-six, as amended, and all Acts, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are repealed, and the Philippine Committee on Food and Agriculture created by the said Administrative Order is hereby abolished and its records, property, assets and liabilities are transferred to the Committee herein created.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. cd i

Approved: June 19, 1965

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 63, No. 5, p. 1061 on January 30, 1967