Formulation and Implementation of an Integrated Development Plan for Mount Arayat and Immediate Vicinity

September 9, 1977

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 597

WHEREAS, our history is replete with records of the revolutionary struggle of the Filipino people for the improvement of their political, economic and social life; casia

WHEREAS, the contemporary Filipino, seeking no less the uplift of the country, is likewise imbued with the same revolutionary zeal for change, striving to realize this change through revolutionary but peaceful means;

WHEREAS, the New Society with its program of reforms, has provided the encouragement and the impetus for the Filipinos to pursue these changes so that they may realize their dreams, hopes and aspirations for a better life;

WHEREAS, Mount Arayat in Pampanga has been the nursery of some of these revolutionary struggles;

WHEREAS, it is deemed desirable to embark on a program of development for Mount Arayat and its environs for the primary purpose of establishing the area as the monument to the revolutionary spirit of the Filipino people and of the socio-economic reforms that has been undertaken for the upliftment of the masses, especially under the New Society;

WHEREAS, in order to achieve this end there is a need to create an inter-agency task force to formulate and coordinate the planning and implementation of an integrated development plan for Mount Arayat and its immediate vicinity;

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

1. It shall be the objective of the Government to develop Mount Arayat and its immediate vicinity and to build it as the symbol and embodiment of the programs of change designed to improve the socio-economic condition of the area and the quantity of life of its residents under the New Society;

2. There is hereby created a task force to implement a program of development for Mount Arayat as envisioned composed of various government agencies involved in rural development.

 The members of the task force are the following:

(a) NEDA Regional Director for Region III — Chairman

(b) Dr. Fortunato Battad, Sr., President of Pampanga Agricultural College — Co-Chairman and Project Coordinator

(c) Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture — Member

(d) Regional Director of the Department of Natural Resources — Member

(e) Regional Director of the Department of Agrarian Reform — Member

(f) Regional Director of the Department of Local Government and Community Development — Member

(g) Regional Director of the Department of Education and Culture — Member

(h) Regional Director of the Department of Public Highways — Member

(i) Regional Director of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communication — Member

(j) Regional Director of Kabataang Barangay — Member

(k) Regional Director of the National Irrigation Administration — Member

(l) Provincial Governor of Pampanga — Member

 The heads of departments, agencies and offices herein mentioned shall extend all possible support for the Task Force.

3. The Task Force will be supported by a National Advisory Committee composed of the Presidential Executive Assistant, Dr. Waldo S. Perfecto, EDPITAF Executive Director, the Budget Commissioner, and the Provincial Governor of Pampanga.

4. The Task Force is hereby authorized to call government agency or instrumentality thereof to provide such assistance as may be necessary for the Task Force to carry out its functions effectively. (A list of these agencies is attached.) The Presidential Management Staff shall act as the Secretariat for the Task Force to monitor the execution of the above programs.

5. The Mayors of Magalang and Arayat and other leaders of the communities within the area are called upon to support this project.

6. Implementing agencies involved are hereby authorized to utilize any savings they maintain for CY 1977 to fund the implementation and the operation of projects identified under this program. The Budget Commission shall ensure that savings of these agencies are correctly certified and disbursed against such identified projects. The Budget Commission shall further ensure that funding requirement for CY 1978 and annually thereafter shall be incorporated in the respective annual budgets of the concerned agencies.

7. The following projects are identified as top priority and the Committee shall work out a program for their early implementation:

A. Infrastructure and Utilities

1. Quitangil River Control

2. Irrigation Projects

* San Nicolas, Arayat Communal Irrigation Project

* San Agustin, Magalang Communal Irrigation Project

* Pampanga Agricultural College Dam Irrigation System

3. Magalang-Arayat Road, Barangay Roads, and the PAC Road Network and Bridge

4. PAC water, and power and artesian wells for Arayat and Magalang

5. Power to barrios of Magalang and Arayat as well as for irrigation pumps.

B. Agriculture

1. Integrated Farm System such as social laboratories

2. Reforestation

3. Inland Fisheries and Livestock

C. Social Services (includes education and employment)

1. Farmer Training center

2. Cottage Industries (Project Bangkuang)

3. Project BATARISAN

4. Medical Units and Improvement of Toilet System

5. Youth Development

 The Pampanga Agricultural College (which shall be likewise further improved and developed) shall be the base of operations for this project.

8. Other studies shall be detailed and long term projects shall be implemented such as: aisa dc

a. establishment and development of recreational facilities and parks;

b. sustained socio-cultural education development;

c. development of non-agricultural economic potentials of the areas surrounding Mount Arayat.

This Letter of Instructions shall take effect immediately.

DONE in San Fernando, Pampanga, this 9th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Seven.

ATTACHMENT A

1.	Agricultural Credit Administration	ACA
2.	Arayat Municipality	AM
3.	Bureau of Animal Industry — Department of Agriculture	DA-BAI
4.	Bureau of Plant Industry — Department of Agriculture	DA-BPI
5.	Bureau of Soils — Department of Agriculture	DA-BS
6.	Central Bank — Rural Banks of Arayat and Magalang	CB-RB
7.	Department of Agriculture — Bureau of Agricultural Extension	DA-BAExt.
8.	Department of Agrarian Reform	DAR
9.	Department of Education and Culture	DEC
10.	Department of Health — Rural Health Units	DOH-RHUs
11.	Department of Local Government and Community Development	DLGCD
12.	Department of Natural Resources	DNR
	Bureau of Forest Development	BFD
	Bureau of Lands	BL
13.	Department of Public Highways	DPH
14.	Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications	DPWTC
15.	Department of Social Services and Development	DSSD
16.	FAITH-HUKVETS
17.	Free Farmers Federation	FFF
18.	Human Settlement Commission	HSC
19.	Kabataang Barangay	KB
20.	Land Bank of the Philippines	LBP
21.	Magalang Municipality	MM
22.	National Cottage Industries Development Authority	NACIDA
23.	National Economic and Development Authority	NEDA
24.	National Electrification Administration	NEA
25.	National Food and Agricultural Council	NFAC
26.	National Housing Authority	NHA
27.	National Irrigation Administration	NIA
28.	National Manpower and Youth Council	NMYC
29.	Pampanga Agricultural College	PAC
30.	Pampanga Electric Cooperative	PELCO
31.	Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research	PCARR
32.	Philippine National Bank	PNB
33.	Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement	PRRM
34.	Philippine Training Center for Rural Development	PTC-RD
35.	Provincial Government Office