WHEREAS, the Philippines, as member of the Conseil International des Organizations de Folklore et D ™ Arts Traditionnels (CIOFF) and the World Dance Alliance-Asia Pacific Center (WDA), has committed to host the CIOFF World Folkloric Festival in March 1998 and the WDA International Conference and Festival in August 1998;

WHEREAS, these international events are excellent opportunities to highlight the global competitiveness of our country in the area of culture and arts and share our experiences with other participating countries in the social and cultural function of dance;

WHEREAS, the holding of the CIOFF World Folkloric Festival and the WDA International Conference and Festival (WDA) in 1998 will coincide with the Culminating Year of the Centennial Celebrations and will bring international prestige, publicity, goodwill, and economic benefits to the country; and,

WHEREAS, there is need to constitute a National Organizing Committee to ensure the success of these two international events.

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

SECTION 1. Creation of the National Organizing Committee for the CIOFF World Folkloric Festival and the WDA International Conference and Festival in 1998. There is hereby created a National Organizing Committee (hereinafter referred to as the œCommittee ) to plan, prepare for, oversee/supervise and ensure the successful conduct of the CIOFF World Folkloric Festival and the World Dance Alliance International Conference and Festival in March and August 1998, respectively.

SEC. 2. Composition of the Committee. The Committee shall be composed of the Chairman, National Commission on Culture and the Arts as Chair, the Secretary of Tourism, as Co-Chair, the President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines as Vice-Chair and representatives from the following departments/agencies, as members:

a. Department of Foreign Affairs
b. Department of Budget and Management
c. Department of Interior and Local Government
d. Department of Education, Culture and Sports
e. Commission on Higher Education
f. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation
g. National Centennial Commission
h. Presidential Management Staff

The Committee shall also include two (2) representatives from the private sector to be determined by the Committee.

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

a.	Serve as the coordinating body between the private sector and various government agencies to ensure that all the requirements for the events are attended to and implemented;
b.	Ensure that the economic advantages of the events are maximized through a concerted and cost-effective country team approach;
c.	Negotiate and conclude contract relative to the events, 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 events;
f.	Submit periodic reports to the President on the status of preparations for the two (2) international festivals and post-activity reports after the conduct of the said festivals; and,
g.	Perform other functions/tasks as may be directed by the President.

SEC. 4. Secretariat. The Cultural Center of the Philippines shall serve as the Secretariat to the Committee to service its technical and administrative requirements.

SEC. 5. Funding. An amount of TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000), ONE MILLION PESOS (P1,000,000) from the 1997 OP-DBM Savings and ONE MILLION PESOS (P1,000,000) from the Trust Liability Account of the Department of Tourism, shall be released to the Cultural Center of the Philippines as Secretariat of the Committee, subject to regular accounting and auditing procedures. The Committee is hereby given authority to solicit donations, grants, contributions, sponsorships and/or any form of assistance from private or government entities.

Section 6. Term of the Committee. The Committee shall cease to exist upon termination of the Projects in 1998.

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

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 16th day of May, 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