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WHEREAS, the Philippine Government, in its desire to develop significant awareness of the Philippines and its people among the French people in particular and the European public in general, has decided to organize a roving festival of Philippine culture and performing arts in France as well as other major cities in Europe, from September to December 1994, under the theme “Philippine Culture Through the Ages”;

WHEREAS, both the Philippine and French Governments are committed to promoting mutual understanding through the intensification of cultural relations, among others, between the two countries;

WHEREAS, the “San Diego” Exposition, a major joint project in the cultural field, will also offer a unique opportunity for attracting prospective investors, businessmen and tourists from France and other European countries;

WHEREAS, the forthcoming exposition, which will be called the Philippine Festival of Arts and Culture, is a joint RP-FRANCE undertaking under the 1993-1994 RP-FRANCE Protocol on Culture, Scientific and Technical Cooperation;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it known that I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby create the Philippine National Commission for the Philippine Festival of Arts and Culture in France and in other countries of Europe revolving around the special exposition of the treasures found in the “San Diego” Galleon, hereinafter known as the Commission. The Honorary Chairman of the Commission shall be the First Lady Mrs. Amelita Ramos with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs as Chairman and Mr. Sostenes Campillo, Jr., former Undersecretary of Tourism, as the Secretary-General of the Commission. The members of the Commission shall be:

  1. The Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry
  2. The Secretary, Department of Tourism
  3. The Secretary, Department of Finance
  4. The Secretary, Department of Budget and Management
  5. The Secretary, Department of Education and Culture
  6. The Director, National Museum
  7. The President, Cultural Center of the Philippines
  8. Two representatives from the Office of the President (proper)
  9. The Chairman, National Commission on Culture and Arts
10. The President, Katutubong Filipino Foundation
11. The President, Metropolitan Museum
12. The Executive Director, Malacañang Heritage Foundation
13. The President, Philippine Airlines
14. The Chairman, San Miguel Corporation
15. The Chairman, PLDT
16. The Chairman, PAGCOR
17. The Administrator, Intramuros Administration

The Commission shall perform the following functions:

1. To plan and implement programs and projects for the Philippine Festival of Arts and Culture in France and other countries of Europe starting in mid-May 1994 leading up to the opening in Paris of the special exposition of the treasures found in the “San Diego” Galleon on 03 October 1994, up to its termination in January 1995;

2. To coordinate all 1994 cultural projects implementing the RP-French Protocol on Cultural, Scientific and Technical Cooperation and to insure that those projects related to the forthcoming exposition are given maximum media exposure in order that the multiplier effect of media can be taken advantage of;

3. To insure that the economic advantages that can be derived out of the roving festival are maximized through a concerted and cost-effective country team approach;

4. All heads of Departments, government agencies, corporation and instrumentalities are hereby directed to support, to the fullest extent possible, this Exposition to ensure the attainment of its goals and objective.

All private entities, associations, clubs, and organizations, including foundations and private museums, in a position to do so are requested to lend their full cooperation to this undertaking.

The Commission shall establish a Secretariat to service the administrative requirements of the Commission. The Secretariat shall be located at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The Chairman of the Commission shall define the duties and responsibilities of the Secretary-General, as well as other officers whom the Commission may decide to designate. In this connection, the Chairman shall submit to the Office of the President a proposed staffing pattern for the Secretariat.

The amount of ONE MILLION (P1,000,000) PESOS which shall serve as the initial Philippine government contribution to the project, is hereby allocated from the contingency funds of the Office of the President. The government agencies or instrumentalities represented in the Commission are hereby authorized to draw from their operating funds additional funds needed to finance the project. The Commission shall draw up its budget and source of funding which shall be subject to existing Commission on Audit rules and regulations.

This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 18th day of AUGUST, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and 93.

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

By the President:
(Sgd.) TEOFISTO T. GUINGONA, JR.
Executive Secretary