WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 203, series of 1987, declared April 9 of every year as a regular holiday for the observance of Araw ng Kagitingan;

WHEREAS, Proclamation No. 466, series of 1989, designated the period from April 5 to 11 of every year as Philippine Veterans Week in order to promote, preserve and memorialize the principles, ideals and deeds of our war veterans as a means to enhance patriotism and love of country, especially among the youth of the land;

WHEREAS, the observance of the said events through meaningful activities is appropriate.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Secretary of National Defense shall lead the observance of the 2010 Araw ng Kagitingan and Philippine Veterans Week.

SEC. 2. The Secretary of National Defense may call on any agency or instrumentality of the government including government-owned and controlled corporations, and to invite any private individual on non-government organization for assistance as he may need in the discharge of his functions for the duration of the celebration. All such government agencies and private individuals or organizations are enjoined to cooperate with the Secretary of National Defense to ensure success in the commemoration of these two important events.

SEC. 3. The amount of THREE MILLION PESOS (Ph3,000,000.00) from the FY 2010 authorized appropriation of the Military Shrines Service for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), is hereby allocated for the operating expenses for the preparation and conduct of the activities of the Observance of the Araw ng Kagitingan and Philippine Veterans Week.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 18^th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Ten.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary