WHEREAS, the Integrated Reorganization Plan provides, among other things, that the functions of the defunct National Shrines Commission be transferred from the Department of National Defense to the Department of Education and Culture, but to preclude interruption in the administration, maintenance and development of national shrine pending the organization of the Department of Education and Culture, said functions were tentatively integrated into the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Department of National Defense in July 1973;

WHEREAS, the administration, maintenance and development of national shrines consisting of military memorials or battle monuments can be more effectively accomplished if they are removed from the Department of Education and Culture and transferred to the Department of National Defense by reason of the latter's greater capabilities and resources;

WHEREAS, the functions of the Department of National Defense are more closely related and relevant to the charter or significance of said national shrines;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, as amended, do hereby decree, order and adopt as part of the law of the land certain amendments to the Integrated Reorganization Plan, as follows:

SECTION 1. Article IV, Chapter II of Part XIX on National Security is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Article IV — Veterans Services

"1. The Veterans Memorial Hospital, the Veterans Claims Settlement Staff, the National Shrines Commission, (all under the Department of National Defense), and the Philippine Veterans Administration (under the Office of the President) are consolidated and integrated into only one agency in the department to be known as the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office.

"2. The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, hereinafter referred to as the Office, shall administer all benefits due to veterans, their heirs and beneficiaries; shall provide medical care and treatment to veterans pursuant to existing laws, and shall administer, maintain and develop military memorials and battle monuments proclaimed as national shrines.

"a. A Veterans Memorial Hospital which shall be essentially the existing Veterans Memorial Hospital;

"b. A claims and Pensions Branch which shall perform the functions of the present Philippine Veterans Administration and the Veterans Claims Settlement Staff. For this purpose, the latter agencies are abolished and the applicable appropriations, records, equipment, property and such personnel as may be necessary are transferred to the Claims and Pensions Branch of the Office; and

"c. A Military Shrines Service which shall perform the functions of the National Shrines Commission pertaining to military memorials. For which purpose, the latter office is abolished and the applicable office is abolished and the applicable appropriations, records, equipment, property and such personnel as may be necessary are transferred to the Military Shrines Service of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office."

SECTION 2. Section 7, Article XV, Chapter I, Part XII on Education, providing for the abolition of the National Shrines Commission and the transfer of its functions to the National historical Institute of the Department of Education and Culture is hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. The Secretary of National Defense shall issue the necessary order and guidelines to implement this decree.

SECTION 4. This decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 26th day of January, the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Seven.

 

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE
		Presidential Executive Assistant