By virtue of the powers vested in me by law, I, Ramon Magsaysay, President of the Philippines, do hereby order:

1. There is hereby created under the Department of Health a Committee to be known as the œLiberty Wells Association  (hereinafter referred to as the œAssociation ) whose duties, powers and functions shall be as follows:

(a) To solicit contributions to the Government from the public of funds and materials to be used exclusively for the construction and development of artesian wells and other sources of potable water supply for rural communities in the Philippines lacking in financial resources to provide an adequate and safe water supply.

(b) To adopt and promulgate rules and regulations governing the selection of sites where such community water supplies shall be installed, including sites specifically designated by donors.

(c) To prescribe appropriate permanent markers to be placed at the water supply in commemoration of the respective donors whose donations or contributions make possible the establishment of such water supply, or of those whom the donors may desire to commemorate.

(d) To give due recognition to donors of the fund herein established, through publicity, diplomas, and otherwise.

(e) To see to it that the moneys and materials donated to constitute the fund are used solely to carry out the purposes of the donation.

(f) To approve the conditions of donations made to such fund and to refuse donations which carry unacceptable conditions.

(g) To recommend to the Government measures calculated to facilitate and further the establishment of community water supplies.

2. The members of the Association shall be all donors of P5,000 or more and those who have rendered very signal service to the Association. The members shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Executive Committee as created in paragraph 4 of this Order and shall hold office at the pleasure of the President.

3. The Secretary of Health is hereby designated ex-oficio Chairman of the Association. He shall appoint such other officers and sub-committees as he may deem convenient or necessary in carrying out the duties and functions of the Association, and the Department of Health shall furnish office and clerical facilities to the Association.

4. From among the members of the Association the Chairman shall appoint an Executive Committee composed of nine members.

5. All contributions to the Association shall be deposited with any bank or banks designated by the Executive Committee. Disbursements from the fund shall be made with the approval of the Executive Committee upon checks signed by the Chairman and Treasurer and supported by vouchers approved by authorized officials representing the Philippine Council for United States Aid and the Foreign Operations Administration.

6. None of the moneys or materials contributed shall be used for any purpose other than for the labor and materials required to establish artesian wells or develop water supplies. The department heads concerned are authorized and directed to apply public funds legally available for the purpose to defray expenses of surveys, technical supervision, transportation, inspection, administration and surcharges.

7. All contributors to the Association shall be collectively known as the œLiberty Wells Brotherhood . The Association is authorized to establish appropriate grades in said Brotherhood, in accordance with the contributions made by the individual.

8. Contributions to the Association fall within the tax exemptions prescribed for income and gift taxes.

9. All public officials having to do with the custody, audit, disbursement, and use of the Liberty Wells Fund are directed to give all needful facilities to the Association to enable the latter to determine that the fund has been used for the purposes herein set forth. The Association shall publish an annual report of the collections received and the use made of the fund.

10. The Executive Committee shall prescribe such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary for the management of the affairs of the Association.

Done in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of February, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the eighth.

(Sgd.) RAMON MAGSAYSAY
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) FRED RUIZ CASTRO
Executive Secretary