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WHEREAS, the Agricultural Land Reform Code of 1963 recognized the imperative need for recasting the social structure of the Philippine agricultural society to lay the foundation and sow the seeds of a peaceful revolution;

WHEREAS, a vigorous implementation of the Philippine Land reform could not be carried out entirely within the administration of one President;

WHEREAS, the limited tenure of Philippine leaders presents difficulties in achieving sustained and unrelenting land reform; and

WHEREAS, participation of the private sector in land reform can be made the common denominator of changing administrations and government policies;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Diosdado Macapagal, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create the Philippine Land Reform Foundation.

1. The policy-making body of the Foundation shall be the Board of Trustees composed of a Chairman and six Members to be appointed by the President for a term of office of five years. The Chairman and Members shall be prominent persons genuinely interested in the promotion of land reform.

2. The Board shall appoint an Executive Secretary who shall take charge of administering the affairs of the Foundation and shall act as secretary to the Board.

3. The major divisions of the Foundation are: (1) Planning and Project Evaluation Division, (2) Policy and Research Division, (3) Public Information Division, (4) Field Service Division, and (5) Finance and Administrative Division.

4. The Foundation shall sponsor the organization of Land Reform Associations in various municipalities, barrios and sitios. These local organizations, composed of prominent community leaders, local government officials and civic-minded citizens, shall be the implementing arm of the Foundation in the pursuit of its objectives.

5. The Foundation shall, at a future date, establish a business corporation to undertake the Foundation’s credit and resettlement operations which are profit-making in nature. Profits realized by this business corporation shall be plowed back to the Foundation for its non-revenue producing activities.

6. The financial requirements of the Foundation shall be met by donations from public and private sectors of the community.

7. The overall objective of the Foundation is to promote the land reform movement in the Philippines. Specifically, the objectives of the Foundation are:

a. To undertake a nationwide dissemination of the advantages of land reform in order to gain public acceptance of its objectives.

b. To encourage the participation of civic-spirited citizens and organizations and to channel these into organized and concerted efforts for land reform.

c. To advocate improvements in the land reform law, government policies and the manner of implementation of the land reform program and individual projects.

d. To represent the public conscience in matters pertaining to land reform.

e. To assist tenants and new owner-operators in obtaining the necessary government services and assistance.

f. To undertake research and investigations on land reform and provide accurate information on the progress and problems of land reform implementation in the country.

g. To provide such other assistance and services as particular situations may require, especially those services where the private sector participation will have distinct advantages and where government efforts may not be sufficient.

8. Immediate and future operations of the Foundation shall be undertaken with the view of achieving in an organized and concerted manner the objectives of land reform.

Done in the City of Manila, this 29th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and sixty-five.

(Sgd.) DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) RAMON A. DIAZ
Executive Secretary