WHEREAS, in order to make more effective the population program of the country, there is a need to augment the resources available to agencies involved in the said program:

WHEREAS, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has granted the Philippine Government a loan for the Philippine Population Project, hereinafter referred to as the Project;

WHEREAS, funds must be appropriated to finance the counterpart peso funding of the aforesaid loan agreement;

WHEREAS, there is a need to create a Project Management Staff for effective implementation and execution of the said Project;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby decree the following measures as part of the law of the land.

SECTION 1. Appropriations. — There is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of One Hundred Sixty-Six Million (P166 million) to finance the local currency costs of the Project which shall be programmed and released to the Project Management Staff hereinafter created, in the following manner: Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P7.5 million) for the Fiscal Year 1974-75; Twenty Four Million Pesos (P24 million) for Fiscal Year 1975-76; Eighty-Five Million Pesos (P85 million) for Fiscal Year 1976-77; Forty-Three Million Pesos (P43 million) for Fiscal Year 1977-78; and Six Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P6.5 million) for Fiscal Year 1978-79; Provided, That, notwithstanding the said schedule, releases in a given year shall be adjusted in accordance with the actual requirements of the project being implemented during said Fiscal Year.

SEC. 2. Project Management Staff. — For the effective implementation of the Project, a Project Management Staff is hereby established as a special unit under the Office of the Secretary of Health, which shall perform the following functions:

1. Undertake and supervise the implementation of Projects under the IBRD Loan;
2. Prepare and implement such other development projects in connection with the loan that may be assigned by the Secretary of Health; and
3. Perform such other functions and duties related to the execution of the Project that may be assigned to it by the Secretary of Health.

The existence of the Project Management Staff shall be co-terminus with that of the Project; Provided, however, That upon completion of the Project, such personnel as may be necessary who meet the qualification standards set by the Department of Health may be absorbed by the Department.

SEC. 3. Organizational Structure of the Project Management Staff. — The Secretary of Health is hereby authorized to determine the organizational structure of the Project pursuant to the IBRD Loan Agreement. It shall be headed by an Executive Director and such assistance as may be required by the Project, to be appointed by the Secretary of Health. It shall likewise have its technical, administrative and support staff as well as consultants as may be necessary. Such consultants may be drawn from the private sector on consultancy or contractual basis or as regular employees, or from government offices agencies and instrumentalities on consultancy, part-time or detail basis who shall be granted additional salary, overtime pay, honoraria or allowances at such amounts as may be fixed by the Secretary of Health, any provisions of law, rule or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding.

SEC. 4. Work Coordination. — The Department of Health and the Population Commission shall coordinate together in the implementation and execution of the Project.

SEC. 5. Nature of Positions of the Project Management Staff. — In view of the urgent nature of the Project, all positions in the Project Management Staff, are hereby declared exempt from the examination requirements of R.A. No. 2260, as amended, and pending the new general standardization of the salaries of personnel in the national government shall be exempt from the rules and regulations of the WAPCO. The Secretary of Health may delegate to the Executive Director the authority to appoint or contract the personnel of the Project Management Staff.

SEC. 6. Contracts and Expenditures. — Any provisions of the law to the contrary notwithstanding, the Secretary of Health may contract the implementation of the Project herein authorized or negotiated on administration basis whenever deemed necessary: Provided, however, That the amount involved does not exceed Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (P400,000) per contract: Provided, further, That this procedure shall be limited to projects which are fully or partly supported by foreign loans or those which are tied-up or connected with the foreign assisted projects: Provided, finally, That advances, expenditures and disbursements made by the Project Management Staff in the conduct of its affair shall not be subject to the procurement requirements and/or restrictions imposed by law, rules and regulations upon government agencies, instrumentalities and government-owned or controlled corporations.

SEC. 7. Effectivity. — This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 24th day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.