Establishing the Philippine Convention Bureau

January 2, 1976

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 867

A DECREE ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE CONVENTION BUREAU, DEFINING ITS FUNCTIONS AND SOURCES OF FUNDING

WHEREAS, the promotion of the tourism and travel industry in the Philippines is a primary concern of the government;

WHEREAS, the growth and development in tourism accommodations and facilities underscore the need for concerted and planned efforts to promote the Philippines not only as tourism destination in the area but also, a center of world gatherings and conventions; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary that an entity be created through which the government and the private sector in the tourism and allied fields can pool their resources, talents and efforts to achieve and attain the abovementioned goals, along definite guidelines and mechanics;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, hereby decree that: aisa dc

SECTION 1. There is hereby created a body to be known as the PHILIPPINE CONVENTION BUREAU which shall have its main office in the Metro Manila Area.

SECTION 2. Objectives. — The general objectives of the Philippine Convention Bureau are:

a. To create and maintain an organizational machinery to plan, develop and execute a campaign to promote tourism to, and attract international gatherings and events in, the Philippines.

b. To conduct a continuing program to develop Manila as a Convention City.

c. To supervise and Coordinate all activities for the smooth operation of various conferences to be held in the country.

d. To oversee the requirements and general welfare of the conventioneers. casia

SECTION 3. Membership. — Membership in the Philippine Convention Bureau may be opened to entities, groups or individuals that have direct or indirect economic, social or cultural interest in conventions, such as shipping companies, souvenir and gift shops, manufacturers, exhibit promoters, international friendship organizations, interested national organizations, etc. However, membership in the Bureau for hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, tourism-oriented restaurants, clubs, resorts, tourist transport operators and Philippine passenger airlines shall be a requirement for the issuance of their respective licenses.

There shall be a Membership Committee to be created by the Board of Governors whose principal duty is to screen and submit to the Board findings on all applications for membership.

The Board of Governors shall exercise exclusive authority in approving Membership with a simple majority vote of all the Members of the Board.

SECTION 4. Governing Body. — There shall be a policy-making body to be known as the Board of Governors whose membership shall be drawn from the government and private sectors that are directly involved in the planning and facilitation of efficient operations of the Bureau, namely:

1. Secretary of Tourism, Chairman

2. Chief, Office of U.N. Affairs and International Conference, Department of Foreign Affairs, Member

3. Representative, Central Bank of the Philippines, Member

4. President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines, Member

5. President, Association of Tour Operators of the Philippines, Member

6. Representative of Philippine Airlines, Member

7. The Director, National Media Production Center, Member

8. The Director of Special Services, Department of Tourism, Member

9. The Director of Tourist Promotions, Member

The Chairman of the Board of Governors shall be assisted by a Vice-Chairman who shall be elected from among the members of the Board. The Convention Director shall sit in the Board as an ex-officio member.

The term of all members coming from the government sector shall be co-terminus with the tenure of their respective government positions they concurrently occupy.

SECTION 5. Terms of Office. — The term of the Board Members representing the private group shall run co-terminus with their tenure as officials of their respective Associations. Upon the expiration of their tenure in the Association, they may continue to sit in the Board as long as their retention in such capacity is officially voted upon and endorsed by the Association concerned.

The representative of Philippine Airlines to the Board shall be nominated by the PAL Management and will sit in as Member of the Board until such time when PAL Management shall have withdrawn his appointment in favor of another. cdt

SECTION 6. Compensation of the Board of Governors. — Members of the Board of Governors shall not be entitled to any compensation except a per diem of P200.00 for every actual attendance of a meeting and expenses for mission or assignment undertaken for the Bureau.

SECTION 7. Powers and Duties of the Board of Governors. — The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

a. Promulgate policies, approve programs and prescribe rules and regulations necessary to implement the intents and purposes of the Bureau.

b. Approve the annual Budget and such supplemental Budget as may be submitted by the Chairman.

c. Act on the recommendations made by the Convention Director with regard to the organization and staffing pattern of the Bureau and to fix the salaries and emoluments of the officers and employees of the Bureau.

d. Render annual reports to the President and such other special reports that may be required from time to time. cd i

SECTION 8. Executive Body. — The Executive Power shall be vested in the office of the Convention Director whose primary duty is to oversee the operations of the Bureau. He shall be assisted by an Assistant Convention Manager.

The Convention Director and the Assistant Convention Director shall be elected by a vote of at least 8 Members of the Board of Governors. The Convention Director shall serve as the Bureau's Chief Executive Officer prescribed by the Board of Governors.

The tenure of the Convention Director shall be fixed by the Board of Governors.

All other appointments to all positions in the Bureau shall be acted upon and approved by the Board of Governors upon the recommendation of the Convention Director.

SECTION 9. Duties of the Convention Director. —

a. The Convention Director shall supervise the executive functions of the Convention Bureau and shall be responsible for the efficient and economical conduct of its operations and employees under the supervision of the Board of Advisers. acd

b. He shall supervise the functions of all officials and staff members under him and see to it that they comply faithfully, efficiently and honestly with their official duties.

c. He shall study, analyze and plan, together with his staff, projects and activities undertaken by the Bureau.

d. He shall recommend to the Board important matters and projects that may need extensive assistance from both the government and private sector.

e. He shall submit to the Board on or before the 15th of January of each year, a proposed budget containing estimated income and expenses to take effect on the next fiscal year.

f. He shall submit to the Board statement of finances of the Convention Bureau covering the operations of the previous calendar year not later than the 30th day of December. cdt

g. He shall submit to the Board an Annual Report of Activities of the past year not later than the 30th day of December.

h. Perform such other functions that the Board may delegate.

SECTION 10. Duties of the Assistant Convention Director. —

a. The Assistant Convention Manager shall perform such duties as are designated by the Convention Manager and shall act on his stead on the incapacity or absence of the Convention Manager.

b. He shall directly supervise the functions of the Administrative Section.

SECTION 11. The Bureau have the following divisions: Administrative, Research and Statistics, Consultation and Liaison and a Secretariat. The Board of Governor, may, however, create such other divisions or staff as will promote and improve the functioning and operations of the Bureau.

SECTION 12. Duties of the Administrative Division. — The Administrative Division shall take charge of keeping all the records of the Bureau and the management and of its employees.

It shall also be responsible for keeping a book of accounts to keep track of all disbursements.

SECTION 13. Duties of the Research and Statistics. — The Research and Statistics Division shall undertake a continuous program of research covering such areas as what world organizations are meeting, where and when they are held, who is who in each organization, what attraction would best appeal to most of each group in terms of facilities or resources and how this attraction can be best presented. This task involves the gathering of all available information materials and statistics on conventions.

SECTION 14. Duties of the Marketing and Promotions Division. — The Marketing and Promotions Division shall devise and spearhead a sustained promotional scheme covering all general and specialized media here and abroad to project and publicize Manila as a convention venue.

SECTION 15. Duties of the Consultation and Liaison Division. — The Consultation and Liaison Division shall maintain a continuing relationship with those agencies or organizations concerned by organizing or hosting regular consultation meetings to ensure proper reception facilities and services to conventioneers, and/or to provide upon request, the necessary guidance regarding the technical aspects of holding conventions.

SECTION 16. Duties of the Convention Secretariat. — The Secretariat shall form, train and maintain a nucleus of personnel who shall actively assist conference organizers in the planning, preparation, promotion, staffing operations and liquidation of any type of meetings or conventions.

SECTION 17. Source of Financing. — The operational expenses of the Philippine Convention Bureau shall be drawn from the following: (1) A 25% share for the first year and 10% share thereafter from the annual travel tax fund (2) A uniform P200,000.00 yearly contribution from each of the government Board member institutions including the Philippine Airlines (3) Membership contribution to the extent of 1 1/2% of the gross annual income of individual members from the private sector (4) 50% of the annual hotel room tax fund (5) Convention Bureau members who are not engaged in profit making enterprises which shall be fixed by the Board of Governors (6) Subsidies and/or grants that may be received for the Philippine Convention Bureau.

SECTION 18. Tax Exemptions. — The Philippine Convention Bureau shall be exempted from the payment of income and donee's taxes and all donations and contributions to the Bureau will be deductible from the donor's income for tax purposes.

SECTION 19. Appropriation. — Only for the first year of operations of the Convention Bureau, the sum of 10 million Pesos is hereby appropriated out of any fund in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated to be released in lump sum upon the approval of this Decree. aisa dc

This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 2nd day of January, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six.