Grant of Philippine Citizenship to Certain Foreign Physicians and Heart Specialists

February 20, 1975

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 658

GRANTING TO DR. CHARLES BAILEY, DR. DONALD EFFLER, DR. DELTON COOLEY, DR. CHRISTIAN BARNARD AND DR. MARTINES BORDIU THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE CERTAIN PRIVILEGES APPERTAINING TO PHILIPPINE CITIZENS

WHEREAS, the above-named physicians and heart specialists have achieved special renown throughout the world for their distinguished work in the field of heart surgery, pioneering in this once forbidding area of medicine and contributing a vast store of knowledge to its advancement, to the lasting service of humankind;

WHEREAS, they were invited as special guests at the inauguration of the Philippine Heart Center for Asia on February 14, 1975, and while in the Philippines for the occasion were properly honored by the Philippine Government, which awarded each of them the Golden Heart Award;

WHEREAS, they in turn honored the Filipino people not only by accepting said invitation to the inauguration of the Philippine Heart Center for Asia but also by staying on long enough to deliver individual lectures and lead in discussions at a special seminar following the inauguration of the Heart Center; cdt

WHEREAS, by means of said participation, they enriched the knowledge of Filipino doctors in the field of heart surgery and heart care, thereby broadening the horizons of medicine in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, all these contributions, while being of special value to the Filipino people, also manifest the deep sense of humanism that informs the work and the individual character of these distinguished physicians and surgeons and has moved them to serve man irrespective of race, color, religion, or political or social creed, a principle basic to Filipino ways;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution, do hereby grant to — cd

DR. CHARLES BAILEY

DR. DONALD EFFLER

DR. DELTON COOLEY

DR. CHRISTIAN BARNARD

DR. MARTINES BORDIU

the right to exercise certain privileges appertaining to Philippine citizens, such as the practice of their profession and those related to or necessary for the exercise thereof in and outside of the Philippines.

This Decree is made part of the law of the land and shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 20th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five.