In order to implement a coordinated community development program throughout the Philippines, encourage greater local autonomy, and provide an effective planning and coordinating machinery therefor, I, Ramon Magsaysay, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Community Development Planning Council created by Executive Order No. 57 dated August 16, 1954, is hereby abolished and its administrative staff, records, funds, equipment, and supplies are transferred to the Office of the President and placed under the supervision and control of a Presidential Assistant on Community Development to be appointed by the President of the Philippines.

SEC. 2. The Presidential Assistant on Committee Development shall act for and in behalf of the President in all matters pertaining to community development, and shall:

(1) Plan and implement the President ™s community development program in barrios, municipalities, and chartered cities, and coordinate and integrate the activities of all and each of the departments and offices of the Government engaged in community development in order to increase their effectiveness, achieve maximum benefits, and avoid duplication and overlapping of activities:

(2) Promote the organization of Community Development Councils at the provincial and municipal levels, and Barrio Councils according to law;

(3) Develop a grants-in-aid program to stimulate participation of barrio citizens in community development;

(4) Recommend to the President legislation contributing to the economic and social betterment of the rural areas, and the strengthening of local government;

(5) Perform such other functions as the President may assign to him.

SEC. 3. The Presidential Assistant on Community Development is hereby authorized to issue such directives, rules, and regulations as he may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this Order. He may secure the services of officers and employees of any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the Government whose assistance he may require in accomplishing his purposes. The Presidential Assistant shall fix minimum qualifications for and shall train, maintain, and supervise such personnel appointed by the President as may be required at the national, provincial, municipal, and barrio levels to carry out his functions.

SEC. 4. There shall be organized in each province and municipality a Community Development Team consisting of as many of the following as may be available: community development officers, agriculturists, home demonstrators, social welfare workers, doctors, nurses, midwives, and sanitary inspectors, public works foremen, and other technicians. For purposes of community development, the work of such teams shall be coordinated by the Provincial and Municipal Community Development Officers who shall be responsible to the Presidential Assistant on Community Development.

SEC. 5. For purposes of this Order, community development shall be defined as a process designed to create conditions of economic and social progress for the whole community with the active participation and largely upon the initiative of the community.

SEC. 6. The Presidential Assistant on Community Development is hereby authorized to execute for and in behalf of the Republic of the Philippines deeds of conveyances or lease contracts covering such real or personal property as he may deem necessary in pursuance of his functions.

SEC. 7. Executive Order No. 57 dated August 16, 1954, is hereby repealed and the provisions of this Order shall supersede the provisions of any other Executive Order, administrative rule or regulations which are inconsistent herewith.

Done in the City of Manila, this 6th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-six, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the tenth.

(Sgd.) RAMON MAGSAYSAY
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) MARIANO YENKO, JR.
Assistant Executive Secretary