In order to implement the program of community development throughout the Philippines, to carry out effectively the program of giving the rural population fair and full opportunities in the pursuit of a dignified and abundant life, and to provide effective planning and coordinating machinery in insuring the success of the above policies, I, RAMON MAGSAYSAY, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. There is hereby created an advisory body to be known as the Community Development Planning Council. The Council shall be composed of the Chairman of the National Economic Council, as Chairman, the Executive Secretary, the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, the Secretary of National Defense, the Social Welfare Administrator, and three (3) private citizens who shall be appointed by the President and who shall hold their positions at his pleasure, as members.

SEC. 2. The Chairman shall preside at the meetings of the Council, and in his absence, the member present who is the ranking Secretary of Department shall preside. In his absence the Chairman may designate his representative to attend the meetings of the Council. Each Secretary or Head of Department or other office of the Government who is an ex-officio member of the Council may designate his representative to attend the meetings of the Council in his absence.

SEC. 3. The Council shall have the following functions and activities:

(1) To formulate short and long range plans and institute measures in cooperation with existing agencies, calculated to improve the rural economy and the proper utilization of manpower; improve health and promote healthful living; promote community organization; develop youth and rural leadership; promote spirit of self-help, self-reliance and self-respect; and improve community facilities.

(2) To coordinate and, if feasible, integrate the activities of the different branches, instrumentalities and agencies of the government engaged in rural development projects in order to achieve maximum benefits, effect economy, avoid duplication and overlapping of activities and loss of time.

(3) To bring as much as possible every facility of the government and of civic organizations into play for the effective implementation of a nation-wide program for rural community development.

(4) To study and recommend legislation tending to improve the rural areas and people, especially that relating to the financing of rural projects and the strengthening of local government.

(5) To promote and facilitate the organization of community development councils at provincial, municipal and barrio levels and to help promote their growth and development.

(6) To submit annual reports of its activities or any other reports which the President may require from time to time.

(7) To administer wisely and judiciously the funds assigned to it by the President.

(8) To organize an administrative machinery for the proper functioning of the Council.

SEC. 4. The Council shall coordinate its community development activities with the nation-wide development program of the National Economic Council and shall solicit the advice of the latter in matters involving policy, planning, programming and financing of projects.

SEC. 5. The Council is hereby authorized to create local Councils to assist in the performance of its functions and to adopt such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this Order. It may secure the services of officers and employees of any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the Government, including corporations owned or controlled by it, whose assistance it may require in accomplishing its task.

Done in the City of Manila, this 16th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the ninth.

(Sgd.) RAMON MAGSAYSAY
President of the Philippines

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