WHEREAS, the policies and actions of the Philippine Government concerning the United Nations family of organizations and other international organizations and conferences must be coordinated in order to obtain maximum benefit from its membership therein; and

WHEREAS, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations has continuously emphasized the necessity for Member States of the United Nations to coordinate at the national level the activities of their appropriate government agencies which are responsible for the technical assistance and investment projects, as well as other economic, social, and human rights programs undertaken by the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and its subsidiary bodies;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, and upon the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs, do hereby order all departments, bureaus, and other agencies of the Philippine Government to give priority and prompt attention to all matters concerning the participation of the Philippine Government in the activities of the United Nations family of organizations, and in other international organizations and conferences.

To insure the implementation of this Order, the following are hereby decreed:

1) The Department of Foreign Affairs shall be the main channel through which government agencies shall transmit their communications to the United Nations, its specialized agencies and subsidiary bodies and to all other international organizations;

2) Representatives of government agencies such as the Departments of Justice, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Public Works and Communications (Bureau of Posts), Education, Labor, National Defense (Philippine Coast Guard), Health, Commerce and Industry (Bureau of Commerce, Bureau of the Census and Statistics, Sugar Quota Administration, Philippine Patent Office, Weather Bureau, Civil Aeronautics Board), and Social Welfare, the Presidential Economic Staff, the National Economic Council, the Presidential Arm on Community Development, the Land Authority, the National Science Development Board, the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission, the University of the Philippines, and all other government offices concerned with the activities of United Nations family of organizations and other international organizations and conferences shall periodically meet under the chairmanship of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to:

(a) review and formulate policies on the various programmes and projects of the United Nations and other international organizations;

(b) decide on priorities which should be accorded to such programmes and projects; and

(c) find ways and means by which inter-departmental coordination on matters relating to the United Nations and other international organizations and conferences can be constantly improved.

Done in the City of Manila, this 21st day of March, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy.


By the President:
(SGD.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Acting Executive Secretary