MALACAÑANG

Manila

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 52

CONSTITUTING A NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON THE 2002 OBSERVANCE OF ARAW NG KAGITINGAN AND THE PHILIPPINE VETERANS WEEK

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 203, s. 1987, declared April 9 of every year as a regular holiday for the celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan;

WHEREAS, Proclamation No. 466, s. of 1989, designated the period April 5 to 11 of every year as Philippine Veterans Week in order to promote, preserve and memorize the principles, ideas and deeds of our war veterans and as a means to enhance patriotism and love of country, especially among the youth of the land;

WHEREAS, there is a need to create a body that shall spearhead the commemoration of the said events with fitting activities to ensure their success.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. There is hereby constituted a National Executive Committee on the observance of Araw ng Kagitingan and Philippine Veterans Week, which shall be headed by the Undersecretary for Operations, Department of National Defense, as Chairman, with the following members:

Undersecretary of Tourism;

Undersecretary of Education;

Undersecretary of Public Works and Highways;

Undersecretary of Interior and Local Government;

Undersecretary of Budget and Management;

Undersecretary of Transportation and Communications;

Head, Philippine Information Agency;

Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines;

Director General, Philippine National Police;

Governor, Province of Bataan;

Governor, Province of Tarlac;

Governor, Province of Cavite;

Administrator, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office;

Executive Director, National Historical Institute;

President, Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP);

National Commander, Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor (DBC);

President, VFP Sons and Daughters of Veterans, Inc. (VFP-SDAI);

President, Corregidor Foundation, Inc. (CFI);

National President, Boy Scouts of the Philippines;

National President, Girl Scouts of the Philippines; and

Chief, Military Shrines Service.

SEC 2. The Committee is hereby empowered to call on any agency or instrumentality of the government including government-owned and controlled corporations and to invite any private individual, or non-governmental organization for assistance it may need in the discharge of its functions but only for the duration of the celebration.

SEC 3. The release of TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000.00) chargeable against the President’s Contingent Fund for FY 2002 is hereby authorized to carry out the provisions of this Memorandum Order. Any deficiency shall be charged against the regular budget of the participating agencies.

SEC 4. This Memorandum Order shall take immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 24th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand and two.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO

Executive Secretary