Display of National Colors and Affixation of Great Seal of the Philippines in Residence of Gen. Carlos P. Romulo

March 7, 1984

BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 694

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE HONORABLE GENERAL CARLOS P. ROMULO, FORMER MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TO DISPLAY THE NATIONAL COLORS AND AFFIX THE GREAT SEAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES IN PROMINENT PLACES AT HIS RESIDENCE

WHEREAS, the Honorable General Carlos P. Romulo served the Philippine Government in various capacities, the most recent of which is as Minister for Foreign Affairs, where he served for the longest term until, incapacitated by a weakened physical condition, he had to retire from the government service on his eighty-fifth birthday in January of this year;

WHEREAS, General Romulo is the only living signatory to the Charter of the United Nations, the Bretton Woods Agreement that established the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the San Francisco Peace Treaty with Japan, the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States of America, and hundreds of other international conventions, treaties, covenants, protocols, pacts, and agreements that have brought about lasting benefits of political, strategic, military, economic, and cultural advantages to the Philippines; has brought unprecedented honors to the Philippines and the Filipino people as the first Asian to serve as the President of the United Nations General Assembly, as a four-time President of the United Nations Security Council, and as Chairman of innumerable international conferences and conclaves; was a Philippine Delegate to the United Nations, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, and finally was Minister for Foreign Affairs for the past 14 years;

WHEREAS, since time immemorial it is a universal diplomatic practice sanctioned by the law of nations that chiefs of diplomatic missions as well as the heads of diplomacy of host countries display their national colors as well as the coat of arms of their respective countries in their residences, which signal honor was never accorded to General Romulo during his incumbency because of the absence of an official residence for the Philippine Minister for Foreign Affairs;

WHEREAS, a belated grant of authority to display the national colors and the Great Seal of the Republic of the Philippines at his residence is a humble gesture of a grateful nation in acknowledging his manifold contributions to the nation and in honoring the man who has become a Philippine legendary figure in diplomacy and a towering personality among world diplomats; Now, therefore,

SECTION 1. The Honorable General Carlos P. Romulo, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, is authorized to display the national colors and the Great Seal of the Republic of the Philippines in prominent places at his residence at all times for as long as he lives.

SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: March 7, 1984

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 80 No. 42 Page 5447 on October 15, 1984.