WHEREAS, Section 9, Article II of the Constitution provides that "The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living and an improved quality of life for all;

WHEREAS, the Filipino national now at the crossroads of history faces great problems as it adjusts its goals, approaches and institutions toward national reconstruction, recovery and human progress;

WHEREAS, these problems threaten the day by day survival of the most vulnerable among our population - the large number of women and children that would be denied of their right to health care, nutrition, knowledge and education, and better access to economic and social opportunities;

WHEREAS, underscoring the problems is the pace of our population growth and that of our capability to provide for our women and children which depends to a large measure on how we meet our population challenge;

WHEREAS, there is a need to launch an envigorated and intensified campaign that shall provide focus on population with national development efforts.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the period from November 23 to 29 and every year thereafter as "Population and Development Week".  The Commission on Population, with the cooperation of the Department of Health, shall plan for, organize and coordinate the activities for the celebration of the week.

All government departments, agencies and government owned and controlled corporations are hereby enjoined to support and participate in the Celebration.

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

Adopted: 16 Oct. 1992