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MOP, Bk 12 Pt. 1, v.5, 84

[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 28, January 18, 1993 ]

CREATING A NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR FOR THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND DECLARING 1993 AS NATIONAL YEAR FOR FILIPINO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES



WHEREAS, the UN General Assembly on 18 December 1990 declared 1993 as “International Year for the World’s Indigenous Peoples: A New Partnership”, with a view to strengthening international cooperation towards the solution of problems faced by indigenous communities in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education, health, employment and ancestral domain;

WHEREAS, this UN General Assembly Declaration invites States to ensure that preparations are made for the Year, and invites indigenous organizations and other concerned non-governmental organizations to consider their respective contributions for the success of the Year, with a view to presenting them to the World Commission on Human Rights and other international organizations concerned with other issues especially the environment, development, education, health and intellectual and labor rights of indigenous peoples;

WHEREAS, the Philippines is a signatory to the International Labor 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 concern the 2 million year old biocultural diversity of indigenous peoples in their forests;

WHEREAS, the Philippines, through the initiative of DIALECT-PCCEDIU-International Theater Institute, FACE/Earth Savers Movement and the Indigenous Organization Tribal Communities Association of the Philippines (TRICAP), all non-governmental organizations, hosted the 1988 International Conference and Festival for Indigenous and Traditional Cultures in Manila as the UNESCO launching event for the 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 Philippines will participate in the World Conference on Human Rights to be held in Vienna on 14-25 June 1993 which will finalize and approve a Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that will chart the UN Human Rights Program into the next century;

WHEREAS, the National Inter-Agency Committee for the Global Youth Earth Saving (YES) Summit to be held in Quezon City on 10-19 April 1993 is preparing the first UN endorsed international event for the year on the theme “Indigenous Peoples and Youth Partnership for Sustainable Development,” the Summit to be preceded by a National Conference of Indigenous Peoples also in Quezon City on 10-11 April 1993 with its central theme of “Indigenous People’s Traditional Cultures, Ancestral Domain and Self-Governing Communities: A Philippine Strategy for Sustainable Development,” both the Summit and the Conference initiated by the Earth Savers Movement and TRICAP;

WHEREAS, it is now incumbent on the Philippine Government to undertake such preparations for the Year with the full participation of indigenous peoples in the planning, implementation and evaluation of such program, projects and activities that will affect their living conditions and future;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create a National Committee for the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and declare 1993 as the National Year 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:

1.
 Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Co-Chairperson
2.
 Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs Co-Chairperson
3.
 Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports Member
4.
 Secretary of the Department of Health Member
5.
 Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment Member
6.
 Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform Member
7.
 Secretary of the Department of Tourism Member
8.
 Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Member
9.
 Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways Member
10.
 Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry Member
11.
 Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology Member
12.
 Secretary of the Department of National Defense Member
13.
 Secretary of the Department of Agriculture Member
14.
 One (1) representative each from the: Members

a) Office of Northern Cultural Communities  

b) Office of Southern Cultural Communities  

c) Office of Muslim Affairs  
15.
 The Press Secretary Member

Section 2. Functions of the National Committee. - The National Committee shall prepare the appropriate national program on the International Year for the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the National Year for Filipino Indigenous Peoples which shall be implemented throughout the Philippines. The National Committee shall also undertake the necessary preparations for the holding of or participation of concerned agencies in conferences, national and international, concerning indigenous peoples.

The National Committee may secure the cooperation of all government and private instrumentalities to ensure the success of its programs. 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 Human Rights Commission and from the organizing hosts of the Global YES Summit which are the TRICAP, coordinating for the indigenous peoples; the Earth Savers Movement, coordinating for the environmental NGOs and cultural communications; the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), coordinating for the business sector; the University of the Philippines; the Speaker’s Office of the House of Representatives; and the Mayor’s Office of Quezon City.

The National Committee may create such Subcommittees as it may deem necessary.

Section 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 offices represented in the National Committee, and in the absence or insufficiency thereof, from any available lump sum appropriation and/or special fund, upon approval of the President.

Section 4. Effectivity. - This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 18th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Three.

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

By the President:
(Sgd.) ANTONIO T. CARPIO
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel

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