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MOP, Bk 12 Pt. 2, v.5, 33
[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 206, July 13, 1995 ]
CREATING A NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, AND DECLARING 1995-2005 AS NATIONAL DECADE FOR FILIPINO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
WHEREAS, the Philippines is a signatory to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169 Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries which is currently the main international legal instrument protecting the rights of indigenous peoples, and other international agreements concerning the environment such as the 1992 UN Convention on Biodiversity and the Principles on Tropical Forests, which directly concerns the 2 million year old biocultural diversity of indigenous peoples in their forests;
WHEREAS, the Philippines, through the initiative of DIALECT-PCCEDIU-International Theatre Institute, FACE/Earthsavers Movement and the Indigenous Organization, Tribal Communities Association of the Philippines (TRICAP), all non-government organizations, initiated the Philippine hosting of the 1988 International Conference and Festival for Indigenous and Traditional Cultures as a UNESCO launching activity of the UN Decade of Culture, and which initiative led to a successful Philippine involvement in the UN General Assembly Declaration of 1993 as the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the special participation of the Philippines at the inaugural ceremonies of the UN Year during Human Rights Day on 11 December 1992 at the UN Headquarters;
WHEREAS, the National Organizing Committee for the Global Youth Earthsaving Summit (Global YES) created by Administrative Order No. 28 held in Quezon City on 10-19 April 1993 was the first UN-endorsed international event for the year on the theme “Indigenous and Youth Partnership for Sustainable Development” attended by Nobel Laureate and UN Ambassador for Indigenous Peoples Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Human Rights Awardee, Prince Alfred von Liechtenstein and 1,500 delegates from 28 countries, preceded by a National Conference on Indigenous Peoples with its central theme on Indigenous People’s Traditional Cultures, Ancestral Domain and Self-Governing Communities: A Philippine Strategy for Sustainable Development” initiated by Earthsavers, TRICAP and ITI-FACE;
WHEREAS, the Philippines participated in the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna on 14-25 June 1993 which finalized and approved a Draft Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that will chart the UN Human Rights Program into the next century, and the Secretary General of the Vienna Conference, Mr. Ibrahima Fall, had expressed interest in support for the Philippine proposal of an Indigenous Cultural Olympics;
WHEREAS, the UN General Assembly 48/163 on 3 December 1993, “noted with satisfaction the holding in Manila of a Global Indigenous Cultural Olympics, reaffirms the role of traditional cultures in the preservation of the environment underscoring the right to cultural survival; and
“Welcomes the proposal for a follow-up gathering of indigenous peoples in 1995, an “Indigenous Peoples Cultural Olympics and Summit”, to be held in conjunction with the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations, to reaffirm the value of traditional cultures, folk arts and rituals as effective expressions of respective national identities, and as presentation for the shared vision for peace, freedom and equality”;
WHEREAS, the UNESCO has also designated the “Global Indigenous Cultural Olympics and Summit for Peace and Sustainable Development” (GICOS) as an official activity of the UN Decade of Culture and the observance of UNESCO’s 50th Anniversary of Culture;
WHEREAS, the International Theatre Institute (ITI) has unanimously approved and endorsed participation in the GICOS event at its 26th Congress in Caracas, Venezuela on 24-30 June, 1995, and pledged cooperation of its Theatre Education and Cultural Identity and Development Program;
WHEREAS, it is now incumbent on the Philippine Government to undertake such preparations for the Decade beginning with the Global Indigenous Cultural Olympics and Summit for Peace and Sustainable Development with the full participation on indigenous peoples in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of such program, and other projects and activities that will affect their living conditions now and in the future;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create a National Committee for the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and declare 1995-2005 as the National Decade of Philippine Indigenous Peoples.
SECTION 1. Composition of the National Committee. - I hereby designate the following or their duly authorized representatives to compose the National Committee:
Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs – Chairperson Secretary, Department of Education, Culture and Sports – Co-Chairperson Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Member Secretary, Department of Health – Member Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment – Member Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform – Member Secretary, Department of Tourism – Member Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government – Member Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways – Member Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry – Member Secretary, Department of Science and Technology – Member Secretary, Department of National Defense – Member Secretary, Department of Agriculture – Member Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications – Member The Press Secretary – Member Presidential Adviser/National Commission on Youth – Member Commission on Human Rights – Member Executive Directors of the a) Office of Northern Cultural Communities b) Office of Southern Cultural Communities c) Office of Muslim Affairs – Members
SECTION 2. Functions of the National Committee. - The National Committee shall prepare the appropriate national program for the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the National Decade for Filipino Indigenous Peoples which shall be implemented throughout the Philippines. The National Committee shall also undertake the necessary preparations for the participation of concerned agencies in national and international conferences concerning indigenous peoples, the development of educational and communications materials beginning with the holding in the Philippines of the Global Indigenous Cultural Olympics and Summit on December 1-10, 1995.
The National Committee may secure the cooperation of all government and private instrumentalities to ensure the success of its programs. It shall be in liaison with the Senate Committee on Environment and Education and the House Committee on Cultural Communities and Youth. The National Committee shall organize a Secretariat which will implement the programs and projects of the National Committee and which will include staff members from the organizing hosts of GICOS which are the TRICAP, coordinating for the indigenous peoples; the Earthsavers Movement, coordinating for the environmental NGOs and eco-communications; International Theatre Institute and FACE center coordinating for cultural groups, KBP coordinating with media groups, UP System and CHED for liaison with educational institutions in the tertiary level, the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), coordinating for the business sector, the University of the Philippines; Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines to assist hospitality needs; and the MMA for Metro Manila Mayors and PICC/CCP for venue needs.
The National Committee may create such subcommittees as it may deem necessary.
SEC. 3. Funding. - The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this Administrative Order shall be taken from funds available in the Departments and government agencies represented in the National Committee, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, and in the absence or insufficiency thereof, from any available lump sum appropriation and/or special fund, upon approval by the President.
SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of Administrative Order No. 28, Series of 1993 which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Administrative Order are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
SEC. 5. Effectivity. - This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 13th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Five.
(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary