WHEREAS, it is part of the government ™s policy thrusts to enhance the competitiveness of the local agricultural sector to attain food sufficiency and security, and therefore promote national growth and development;

WHEREAS, the improved competitiveness of the local agricultural sector shall likewise promote the welfare of the local agricultural producers, in particular that of the Filipino farmers and workers, and thereby advance the Social Reform Agenda of the government;

WHEREAS, the holding of the General Conference of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) in Manila from 27 May to 4 June 1998, which shall be participated in by the local farmer groups and agricultural producers to be led by the IFAP local affiliates, shall significantly serve the furtherance of the above policy thrust and Social Reform Agenda;

WHEREAS, the holding of the above IFAP conference in Manila is deemed part of the Department of Agriculture ™s program for the centennial celebration of Philippine Independence in 1998;

WHEREAS, there is a need to provide an overall coordinating mechanism to ensure the orderly and productive conduct of the IFAP conference in Manila;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the following:

SEC. 1. Creation of the National Committee on the General Conference of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers. There is hereby created a National Committee, hereafter referred to as the Committee, to ensure the orderly and productive holding of the General Conference of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers in Manila from 27 May to 4 June 1998.

SEC. 2. Composition. The Committee shall be composed of the following:

Secretary, Department of Agriculture	Chairman
Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs	Co-Chairman
Head, IFAP Local Organizing Committee	Vice-Chairman
Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform	Member
Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources	Member
Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry	Member
Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment	Member
Secretary, Department of Interior and Local Government	Member
Secretary, Department of Tourism	Member
Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications	Member
Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways	Member
Secretary, Department of Science and Technology	Member
Director General, Philippine National Police	Member
Director General, National Economic and Development Authority	Member
Chairman, Metro Manila Development Authority	Member
President, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry	Member
President, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.	Member

SEC. 3. Duties and Functions. The Committee shall discharge the following duties and functions:

a In coordination with the IFAP, formulate the appropriate program for the orderly and productive conduct of the above IFAP conference;

b Promote and coordinate the active participation of the concerned government agencies and local private sector in the IFAP conference, including the sector-wide participation of the local farmers groups and agricultural producers;

c. Serve as the focal point of coordination and complementation between the government and IFAP relative to the activities of the conference; and

d Perform other functions which may be deemed necessary by the President.

The Committee may create such subcommittees and/or tap other government agencies or any of its instrumentalities for the efficient discharge of the above functions.

SEC. 4. Secretariat Support. The Department of Agriculture shall provide secretariat and administrative support to the Committee.

SEC. 5. Funding. The needed funding for the conduct of the above conference in Manila shall be jointly defrayed by the IFAP and the government. Government counterpart contributions thereto shall be determined by the Committee and shall be included in the budgetary appropriation of the Department of Agriculture for 1998. This shall also include the funds needed by the Committee and its Secretariat to effectively carry out the provisions of this Order.

SEC. 6 Reportorial Requirement. The Committee shall submit to the Office of the President, regular report on its activities, including a post-conference report highlighting the accomplishments of the Committee and of the conference.

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

Done in the City of Manila, this 25th day of June in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Seven.

(SGD.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

By the President:

(SGD.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary