WHEREAS, the Philippines as Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) will be hosting the 31st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) to be held in Manila from 21 to 29 July 1998;

WHEREAS, the hosting of the 31st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related Meetings by the Philippines is a historic event for the country and its people as it is the first initiative on regional cooperation among the nine (9) ASEAN member countries and its ten (10) Dialogue Partners by the new incoming Philippine Administration;

WHEREAS, the Philippines attaches great importance to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) not only because it is a founding member of the organization, but more importantly, because it recognizes the reality that the country ™s sustained economic growth is closely interlinked with the confidence in the dynamism and resilience of the Philippines and ASEAN as a whole despite the financial crisis battling the region;

WHEREAS, to be able to effectively advance Philippine interests in the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting process, more particularly at the critical level of the Senior Official ™s Meeting, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Post-Ministerial Conferences, comprehensive and careful planning is a vital prerequisite that must be met;

WHEREAS, to enable the Philippines to carry out these vital tasks, broad public and private sector support and participation is needed and required;

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

SECTION 1. 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force. The 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force is hereby created with the primary responsibility of providing full substantive and logistical support to the Department of Foreign Affairs in the image-building preparations for the 31st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings. The 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force, which shall be under the direction of the Department of Foreign Affairs, shall be composed of senior officials from government agencies and the private sector with economic concerns in the ASEAN region such as the

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)	- Chair
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)	- Member
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC)	- Member
Department of Finance (DOF)	- Member
Department of Tourism (DOT)	- Member
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)	- Member
Office of the Press Secretary (OPS)	- Member
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)	- Member
Board of Investments (BOI)	- Member
Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM)	- Member
Intramuros Administration	- Member
Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)	- Member
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)	- Member
Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC)	- Member
Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP)	- Member
Ad Foundation	- Member
Clean and Green Foundation	- Member
Sycip, Gorres, Velayo and Co. (SGV)	- Member

SEC. 2. Private Sector Participation in the 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force. The membership, involvement, support and assistance in the 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force of the private sector with economic concerns or proposed business interests in the ASEAN region is encouraged.

SEC. 3. 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force Committees. The 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force shall oversee various Committees with tasks and responsibilities correspondingly associated with each:

Committee on Tri-Media Campaign

Coverage

The conceptualization, production, and implementation of an information campaign in broadcast and print media so as to influence the impression projected by the 31st AMM and Related Meetings, the Philippines and ASEAN as a whole.

Committee on Exhibit ( œPhilippine Links with ASEAN )

Coverage

Conceptualization and implementation of an exhibit on œPhilippine Links with ASEAN  communicating the Philippines as an investment and strategic partner in ASEAN and highlighting the presence of the Philippine private sector in the ASEAN region.

Committee on Infrastructure Development

Coverage

Involve the improvement, beautification, order and cleanliness of venues used by the 31st AMM delegates other than the convention site such as street improvement, traffic regulation, clean and green projects, billboards to welcome the 31st AMM delegates.

Membership in the above Committees may be modified or increased from time to time by the Chair of 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force, as dictated by prevailing conditions.

SEC. 4. 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force Committee Meetings. The 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force Committees shall meet regularly, collectively or individually, as appropriate, the output of which shall be promptly reported to the Chair of the 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force. The Chair may also call the 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force or any of its Committees to a meeting whenever deemed necessary or appropriate.

SEC. 5. Coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs. The 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force, collectively and as individual committees, shall coordinate its activities with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

SEC. 6. Progress Report to the President. The Chair of the 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force shall submit, through the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, regular reports to the President of the highlights of every meeting of the 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force. Contentious issues shall be immediately reported to the President together with observations and recommendations.

SEC. 7. All government agencies named above and participating members of the private sector shall detail their representatives to the 31st AMM Special Projects Task Force. The duration of the detail shall be until 30 July 1998.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety-eight.

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

By the President:
(Sgd.) ALEXANDER P. AGUIRRE
Executive Secretary