WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 337 promulgated on September 1, 1971 established a Medical Assistance Program Task Force assigned to improve medical care and provide the people of the country with a practical means of helping themselves pay for it;

WHEREAS, Republic Act 6111 approved on August 4, 1969 has created the Philippine Medical Care Commission (hereafter referred to as the œCommission ) with responsibilities and functions similar to and overlapping that of the Task Force created under the aforementioned Executive Order;

WHEREAS, in order to avoid duplication of effort and functions, dissipation of scarce resources and in consonance with the clear mandate of Congress that there should only be one body to implement the Medicare program;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby amend and modify Executive Order No. 337 creating the Medical Assistance Program Task Force in the following respects:

1) The functions and powers of the Medical Assistance Program Task Force as enunciated in Executive Order No. 337 shall be redefined in these functions and powers:

a) To advise the Commission on policies that would lay the groundwork for Program II of Republic Act 6111;

b) To suggest ways and means of providing medical care benefits to non-beneficiaries of Program I of Republic Act 6111;

c) To advise the Commission on factual conditions of rural areas relevant to Program II evolvement;

d) To recommend to the Commission the implementation of policies, plans, and action programs as formulated from the moment of its organization;

e) To advise the Commission on pertinent changes and revisions of action programs as may be deemed necessary.

2) All other provisions in the aforesaid Executive Order No. 337 inconsistent herewith are hereby revoked accordingly.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 23rd day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-one.

By the President:

(SGD.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary