TO:	All Heads of Departments and Agencies All Provincial Governors, City Mayors, Barangay Captains All Others Concerned.

WHEREAS, the present program of integrated national development and of bringing about a new social order, calls for the abiding interest, concern, involvement and commitment of the entire citizenry;

WHEREAS, such interest, concern, involvement, and commitment can be generated only if the citizenry, particularly the rural people, know and appreciate the programs of the government, how these directly affect their lives, and what they can contribute to such programs;

WHEREAS, this means that the government should be brought closer to the people in terms of greater information dissemination, extension of vital and necessary services, transfer of technology, and a comprehensive literacy campaign;

WHEREAS, it is believed that the men who are now in the service of the government and who are direct participants in the implementation of the programs of government are in the best position to bring the government closer to the people;

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

1. There shall be instituted in the government a program of extension, hereinafter called PAGLILINGKOD: BAGONG LIPUNAN which shall aim to achieve the following objectives:
   
   

   (a)	To carry on and bring to the grassroots level the message of change of the New Society and the development programs being undertaken to institute such change;
   (b)	To enable the rural people, especially the farmers, to gain greater access to technological provements, and to directly assist them in the application of such technology;
   (c)	To establish a direct link between the government and the people so that the popular needs and demands may be directly transmitted to the government agencies concerned;
   (d)	To get feedback on the sentiments and reactions of the people towards government policies and programs and the effectiveness of such programs and services;
   (e)	To bring to the barangay health, social and other similar services that the people most urgently need; and
   (f)	Generally, to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the people.

   
   
2. All officials and employees in the government service, whether occupying positions in the Career or in the Non-Career Service, including contractual or emergency personnel, and those employed in government-owned or controlled corporations, and in all local governments, provincial, city, municipal and  other political sub-divisions, shall render service in the rural areas for a period of at least fifteen (15) days (two weeks) within a given calendar year, on  official time.  They shall supplement the efforts of government agencies in the different regions.
3. The PAGLILINGKOD: BAGONG LIPUNAN Program shall be coordinated by the  Office of the President and the Civil Service Commission through a Sub-Cabinet Committee composed of Undersecretaries or, in  the absence thereof, by those occupying positions of comparable rank or officers-next-in-rank from the following departments :
   
   

   (a)	Department of Agriculture
   (b)	Department of Agrarian Reform
   (c)	Department of Health
   (d)	Department of Natural Resources
   (e)	Department of Education and Culture
   (f)	Department of Social Services and Development
   (g)	Department of Local Government and Community Development
   (h)	Department of National Defense

   
   The members of the Committees shall serve as Chairman thereof in rotation in the order and for a period to be determined by the members themselves.
   
   The President may name to the Committee representatives from other departments and agencies of the government as the need arises.
   
   All heads of departments and agencies of the government, governors, city mayors, municipal mayors and barangay captains shall give full support to this program.
   
   
4. The Sub-Cabinet Committee shall formulate general Plans, programs and strategies for the attainment of the objectives of the PAGLILINGKOD: BAGONG LIPUNAN program.  For this purpose it shall organize a National secretariat to be headed by an Executive Director and a Deputy Executive Director who shall be chosen by the Committee from among themselves.
   
   The National Secretariat shall take charge of the effective implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of plans and programs drawn up by the Sub-Cabinet Committee.  In the performance of these functions, it shall be provided with staff support by personnel from departments and agencies who shall be detailed with the Secretariat, either on part-time or full time basis.
   
   
5. This program shall be implemented by the Sub-Cabinet Committee in the different regions through the different Regional Directors who shall coordinate and implement the program under the leadership of the Presidential Officer for Development (PROD) and the Regional Development Council Chairman.
   
   In carrying out their tasks, the Regional Directors may organize a regional Secretariat to assist them and to undertake the following specific functions:
   
   

   (a)	Make an up-to-date inventory of skills and assistance requirements within the region, for submission to the National Secretariat which shall, on the other hand, draw up and maintain a data bank of the qualifications, expertise, and interest of government officials and employees to match these requirements;
   (b)	Plan, program, coordinate, and supervise with the assistance of various political units, the activities of government teams fielded within their territorial jurisdictions;
   (c)	Submit periodic reports to the National Secretariat on the accomplishments of the region; and
   (d)	Perform such other duties as may be assigned to it by the National Secretariat.

   
   
6. Provincial Secretariats may be organized by the Regional Directors in  every province and sub-province if deemed necessary for the effective implementation of the program.  The Provincial Secretariats shall exercise the following functions:
   
   

   (a)	Make a predetermination of skills and assistance requirements for the cities, municipalities and barrios within their territorial jurisdiction. This shall be reported to the Regional Secretariat;
   (b)	Assist the Regional Secretariat in planning, coordinating and supervising the activities of the government teams fielded within their territorial jurisdictions;
   (c)	Evaluate the performances of government teams within their territorial jurisdiction and submit such reports as may be needed by the Regional Secretariat; and
   (d)	Perform other functions as may be required by the National or Regional Secretariat.

   
   
7. In view of the initial thrusts  of the program, the Department  of Agriculture and the agencies under it, namely, the Bureau of Plant Industry, the Bureau of Animal Industry, the Bureau of Agricultural Extension, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, the Bureau of Soils and agencies attached to it, the Department of Agrarian Reform; the Department of Social Services and Development; the Department of Health and the agencies attached to it particularly the Population Control Commission; the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Education and Culture, are hereby declared the lead agencies and shall assume primary and leadership roles in the implementation of this program.  The Sub-Cabinet Committee, in the course of the implementation of the program may, however, call upon any other department or agency of the government to assume a similar role.
8. The heads of local governments—Governors, City Mayors, Municipal Mayors, Barangay Captains—and other political subdivisions shall give full support in the implementation of the program.  They shall work out a system of coordination at all levels, with the Regional Directors and with the Barangay Captains to ensure effective implementation of the program.
   
   In the barangays, the Barangay Captains shall be the coordinator of the program and shall be assisted by the head teachers or development or extension workers, if any, and Chairman of the Kabataang Barangay.
   
   
9. The Sub-Cabinet Committee shall work out further details for the effective implementation of the program and may promulgate rules and regulations for the purpose.
10. This Letter of Instructions shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 23rd day of June in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-seven.