WHEREAS, in view of this commitment, the Philippines shall host and jointly organize, with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Sixth Asia-Pacific International Trade Fair from 5-11 November 1996;

WHEREAS, the Fair provides an excellent opportunity to highlight the global competitiveness of the Philippine economy and further enhance the country ™s trade, investments and tourism prospects;

WHEREAS, there is a need to constitute a Philippine Host Committee to organize and supervise the activities related to the Fair.

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

SECTION 1. Philippine Host Committee for ASPAT ™96. A Philippine Host Committee (hereinafter referred to as the œCommittee ) is hereby constituted to oversee and undertake the necessary preparations for the Sixth Asia-Pacific International Trade Fair.

SEC. 2. Composition of the Committee. The Committee shall be chaired by the Secretary of Trade and Industry with representatives from the following departments/agencies as members:

a. Department of Foreign Affairs
b. Department of Finance/Bureau of Customs
c. Department of Transportation and Communications/Manila International Airport Authority
d. Department of Public Works and Highways
e. Department of Tourism/Duty-Free Philippines
f. Department of Justice/Commission on Immigration and Deportation
g. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
h. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas/Philippine International Convention Center
i. Cultural Center of the Philippines
j. Philippine Air Lines
k. Philippine Economic Zone Authority
l. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation

The Committee shall also include representatives from the private sector to be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Chairman.

SEC. 3. Functions of the Committee. The Committee shall exercise the following functions and responsibilities:

a.	Act as the coordinating body between the private sector and various government agencies to ensure that all the requirements for the Fair are attended to and implemented.
b.	Ensure that the economic advantages of the Fair are maximized through a concerted and cost-effective country team approach.
c.	Negotiate and conclude contracts relative to the Fair, including services of consultants and hiring of contractual employees whose term of office is co-terminus with the project.
d.	Call on any department, bureau or office of the Government, including government-owned and controlled corporations, to render such assistance as it may need in the discharge of its functions.
e.	Seek the assistance of and coordinate with private entities, associations, foundations, cooperatives, and other non-government organizations, in mounting and meeting the requirements for the Fair.

SEC. 4. Secretariat. The Committee, through the Chairman, shall establish a Secretariat, to service its technical and administrative requirements. The Secretariat shall be composed of personnel detailed to the Committee from member agencies, with the Chairman determining the number desired and duration of their assignment.

SEC. 5. Funding. An amount of TEN MILLION PESOS (P10,000,000.00) is hereby allocated from the 1996 President ™s Contingent Fund. The government agencies or instrumentalities represented in the Committee are hereby authorized to draw from their respective budget, additional funds needed to finance the project.

The Committee may also solicit donations, grants, contributions, sponsorships and/or any form of assistance from private or government entities.

SEC. 6. Term of the Committee. The Committee shall cease to exist upon termination of the project in November 1996.

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

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 29th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Five.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary