WHEREAS, on the night of 23 September 1972, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos put into full force and effect Presidential Proclamation No. 1081 (s. 1972), by announcing through a televised broadcast that he had placed the entire Philippines under Martial Law and directing the arrest of persons and the closure of media establishments;

WHEREAS, the Filipino People must remember those who have sacrificed their lives during Martial Law in order for us to have the freedom we experience today;

WHEREAS, the NHCP is mandated to research, compile, and safeguard the history of the Filipino people; and,

WHEREAS, there is a need for an independent body to collect and compile information pertaining to the events during the Martial Law years.

NOW THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee. A Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee thereinafter referred to as the Advisory Committee) is hereby established to undertake the following:

a. The systematic gathering, preservation, and publication of the testimonies. oral histories, documentaries, film, and audio records of the Martial Law era; and,

b. The compilation of materials that will make possible the true account of the events that transpired during the said period in our history.

These shall be made available to the public through the websites of the Official Gazette, the Presidential Museum and Library, and the NHCP.

The Advisory Committee shall initially gather and publish oral histories about Martial Law. After which, it shall continue to gather and make accessible to the public documentaries, film, and audio records as soon as readily available.

SECTION 2. Members of the Committee. The Advisory Committee shall be headed by the five-member board composed of the following:

Chairperson:	Chairperson, NHCP
Members:	Director, National Library of the Philippines
	Executive Director, National Archives of the Philippines
	Two members to be appointed by the President

The Advisory Committee may also call upon any department, agency, or instrumentality of the government for assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require.

SECTION 3. Secretariat. The NHCP is hereby directed to act as the Secretariat of the Advisory Committee.

SECTION 4. Funding. The Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee shall have an initial budget of P5,000,000.00 (Five Million Pesos) to be sourced from the Contingent Fund Appropriations for succeeding years shall be incorporated in the annual budget of the NHCP.

SECTION. 5. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions unaffected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION. 6. Repealing Clause. All other rules, regulations, and issuances of parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 20th day of September, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twelve.

 

(SGD.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary