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WHEREAS, it is generally accepted that “the population problem must be recognized as a principal element in long-range national planning if governments are to achieve their economic goals and fulfill the aspirations of their people;”

WHEREAS, the growth rate of the Philippine population, now estimated at well over three per cent annually, one of the highest in the world, is adversely affecting economic growth;

WHEREAS, it has been a long-felt need to ascertain the influence of rapidly increasing population on the capacity of the economy to provide the minimum of public services to the people; and

WHEREAS, it has been recognized that continuing study on this problem is necessary to provide policy-makers with adequate information for the formulation and implementation of policies and programs on population as it affects economic and social development;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create a Commission on Population with the following functions and duties:

1. Undertake, promote, and publish studies and investigations on the Philippine population in all its aspects;
   
   
2. Assemble and disseminate technical and scientific information relating to medical, social, economic and cultural phenomena as these affect or are affected by population;
   
   
3. Formulate policy and program recommendations on population as it relates to economic and social development;
   
   
4. Formulate research and study programs and projects and assign these to such individuals or organizations as the Commission may deem appropriate;
   
   
5. Perform such other duties as proper authorities may from time to time direct the Commission to undertake.

The Commission on Population shall be composed of the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Social Welfare, the Chairman of the National Economic Council, the President of the University of the Philippines, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the President of the National Council of Churches, the President of the Muslim Association of the Philippines, the Director of the Bureau of the Census and Statistics, the Director of the Disease Intelligence Center, the Director of the Institute of Social Order, the Director of the Asian Social Institute, the Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, the Deans or Directors of the following units of the University of the Philippines: College of Medicine, the Institute of Hygiene, the Institute of Mass Communication, the Population Institute, and the School of Economics; the President of the Philippine Medical Association, the Executive Director of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges, the President of the Family Planning Association of the Philippines, and the President of the Planned Parenthood Movement of the Philippines. The members of the Committee may designate qualified and competent representatives to act in their stead.

The Commission shall have an Executive Board vested with all the executive and administrative powers of the Commission. It shall be composed of the Secretary of Education as Chairman, and the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Social Welfare, the Chairman of the National Economic Council, and the President of the University of the Philippines, as members.

The Population Institute, University of the Philippines, shall act as the Secretariat of the Commission, and the Director of the said Institute shall serve as Executive Director of the Technical staff.

The Commission shall meet at least twice a year or at the call of the Executive Board. The Executive Board, on the other hand, shall meet at least once a month. It shall adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary for the conduct of its business and to carry out the purposes of this Order.

The Executive Board is authorized to create continuing or ad hoc committees consisting of the members of the Commission or such other experts as it may deem necessary, to conduct studies for the Commission, or to assist it in the discharge of its functions.

The Chairman of the Executive Board, in his capacity as Secretary of Education, shall appoint or hire the necessary technical, administrative and clerical personnel to compose the technical staff of the Commission. He may also retain the services of consultants for specific areas of work who shall be paid according to the rates that he may determine. He may enter into any other kind of service contract as he may deem necessary and shall pay the cost thereof from available funds.

The Chairman of the Executive Board, in his capacity as Secretary of Education, may receive for the Commission gifts, grants, or donations in money or in whatever form and from whatever sources. The funds thus received shall constitute a special trust fund under the Department of Education which he shall administer, obligate and disburse to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Commission in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Revised Budget Act, Republic Act No. 992, and other pertinent laws, rules and regulations.

The Commission may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government for such assistance as it may need in the performance of its functions.

Done in the City of Manila, this 19th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and sixty-nine.


By the President:
(SGD.) RAFAEL M. SALAS
Executive Secretary