WHEREAS, 12 June 1998 is the Centennial of the declaration of Philippine Independence;

WHEREAS, there is a need to properly coordinate all activities related to the celebration of the Centennial of the Philippine Independence;

NOW THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, pursuant to the powers vested in me by law do hereby create a National Organizing Committee to take charge of the 12 June 1998 celebration of the centennial of Philippine Independence.

SECTION 1. Composition. The National Organizing Committee (NOC), shall be composed of the following:

Chairman, National Centennial Commission	- Chairperson
Secretary, Department of Tourism	- Co-Chairperson
Secretary, Department of Education, Culture and Sports	- Co-Chairperson
Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government	- Member
Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs	- Member
Secretary, Department of Agriculture	- Member
Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform	- Member
Secretary, Department of Budget and Management	- Member
Secretary, Department of Energy	- Member
Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources	- Member
Secretary, Department of Finance	- Member
Secretary, Department of Health	- Member
Secretary, Department of Justice	- Member
Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment	- Member
Secretary, Department of National Defense	- Member
Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways	- Member
Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry	- Member
Secretary, Department of Science and Technology	- Member
Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development	- Member
Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications	- Member
Press Secretary	- Member
Director-General, National Economic and Development Authority	- Member
Head, Presidential Management Staff	- Member
Chairman, Government Service and Insurance System	- Member
Administrator, Social Security System	- Member
Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines	- Member
Director-General, Philippine National Police	- Member
Director-General, Philippine Information Agency	- Member
Chairman, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority	- Member
President, League of Provinces	- Member
President, League of Cities	- Member
President, League of Municipalities	- Member
President, Liga ng mga Barangay	- Member
President, Cultural Center of the Philippines	- Member
Chief, Protocol Office, Office of the President	- Member
Executive Director, National Historical Institute	- Member
Chairman, National Commission for Culture and the Arts	- Member
Executive Director, National Parks Development Committee	- Member
Five (5) Private Sector Representatives who shall be appointed by the NOC Chairperson.

SEC. 2. Staff Support. The NOC is hereby authorized to establish an Executive Committee and other sub-committees as may be necessary to assist in the implementation of various activities for the 1998 centennial celebration of the Philippine Independence. The NOC Chairperson and Co-Chairperson shall establish a composite secretariat to the NOC, to be composed of personnel seconded from their respective agencies.

SEC. 3. Institutional Support. The NOC Chairperson is hereby authorized to call upon any department, bureau, office or instrumentalities of the government, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) to extend all necessary assistance to the NOC, its Executive Committee and Sub-Committees.

SEC. 4. Budget. The NOC and the DBM and shall jointly determine the funding requirements of the NOC for 1997 and 1998 and identify possible fund sources, which may include among others, funds from the 1997 Savings of the National Government. Said funds shall be released to the NOC. All NOC members, and other government agencies, offices or institutions, GOCCs and LGUs are hereby authorized to allocate from their respective funds any amount which they may deem necessary to ensure the successful celebration of the centennial of the declaration of Philippine Independence, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

SEC. 5. Submission of Reports. The NOC shall submit monthly report to the Office of the President, through the Executive Secretary, copy furnished the Head, Presidential Management Staff, beginning December 1997.

SEC. 6. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 17th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven.

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

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