SECTION 1. Section 1, Subsection a of Presidential Decree No. 244 is amended to read:

"SECTION. 1. Philippine Veterans Assistance Commission. —

"a. To carry out the purpose of this Decree, a Philippine Veterans Assistance Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission is hereby created. The commission shall be a body corporate and politic and shall be composed of the Secretary of National Defense himself or his representative duly designated by him the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, and the President of the Philippine Veterans Bank and three appointive members, who shall represent the veterans group, to be appointed by the President. The Secretary of National Defense himself or his representative duly designated by him and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are designated Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Commission respectively. The term of the appointive members shall be for three years, with the right to hold-over until their successors shall have been duly appointed and qualified; Provided, that the terms of the first three appointive members shall be one, two and three years respectively. All vacancies, except through the expiration of the term, shall be filled for the unexpired term only. The appointive members of the Commission shall receive seventy five pesos per diem for each meeting actually attended by them: Provided, That no compensation shall be paid for more than one meeting a week."

SECTION 2. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 26th day of January, in 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