WHEREAS, the Republic of the Philippines has already filed with the Far Eastern Commission through its representative its claims for reparations from Japan consisting primarily of industrial machinery and equipment vitally essential to the restoration of Philippine economy destroyed by the war;

WHEREAS, a Philippine Mission on Reparations and Restitution has already been sent to Japan to work closely with the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Tokyo in arranging for the removal of reparations that may be made available to the Philippines under policy directives from the Far East Commission and for the speedy restitution of looted property;

WHEREAS, it has been reported by the Philippine representative to the Far Eastern Commission that advance transfers of reparations equipment may soon be authorized by the Far Eastern Commission;

WHEREAS, the activities pertaining to the filing of claims for specific industrial equipment, plants and facilities and the planning for the utilization of reparations equipment and other materials have to be coordinated with the general economic policies and plans of the Government as well as the overall industrialization plans, not only for the effective and speedy prosecution of Philippine claims but also for the efficient removal, distribution, and utilization of the industrial equipment and other materials that may be obtained under such claims for the rehabilitation of Philippine economy; and

WHEREAS, there is at present no entity that can coordinate the aforementioned activities and achieve effective and coordinated action;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, MANUEL ROXAS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create a Reparation Advisory Committee which shall be composed of a Chairman and four members to be appointed by the President.  The Chairman of the Committee shall be chosen from the Office of the President; one member from the Department of Foreign Affairs; one member from the Rehabilitation Finance Corporation, and two members from the National Development Company, one of whom shall come from the technical staff of said company.

It shall be the duty of this committee to make recommendations to the President on industrial equipment, plants and facilities that will be claimed by the Philippines for reparations and the priorities thereof; to study and make recommendations on the different aspects of distribution and allocation of industrial equipment, plants, and facilities which may be allocated to the Philippines, in the light of the local requirements for them, not only by government agencies but also by private individuals and organizations; to study and make recommendations on the financing of the establishment of industries utilizing reparations equipment; to review and pass upon recommendations of bodies or agencies concerned with reparations for the ultimate action of the President; and, pending the creation of the National Economic Council, to coordinate and correlate reparations plans and activities with the general overall planning for the development of the national economy of the Philippines.

The Technical Staff which will handle the industrial planning and all other technical aspects of the work on reparations shall be provided by the National Development Company, the membership of such staff and their salaries to be determined by the said company.

The Committee shall submit from time to time to the President, through the Secretary of Foreign affairs, its reports and recommendations and shall acquaint the President with the progress of implementation of the policy-decisions as well as the actual removal, transfer, distribution, allocation, and utilization of reparations equipment, plants and facilities.

The Committee is hereby empowered and authorized to call upon any department, bureau, agency, or instrumentality of the Government for such information and assistance as it may require in the performance of its functions.

Done at the City of Manila, this 28th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty-seven, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the first.


By the President:

(Sgd.) EMILIO ABELLO
Chief of the Executive Office