AN
ACT CREATING THE COMMISSION ON FILIPINOS OVERSEAS AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
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Section
1. Creation and Composition.
— There is hereby created a Commission on Filipinos Overseas,
hereinafter
referred to as the Commission, under the Office of the President..chan
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The
Commission shall be composed of five (5) members to be appointed by the
President (Prime Minister) of the Philippines, one of whom shall be the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, as ex-officio member: Provided, That the
President
(Prime Minister) may appoint other ministries as ex-officio members:
Provided,
further, That in the absence of any ex-officio member, said member may
designate his deputy to act in his stead. The President (PrimeMinister)
shall designate the chairman and the vice-chairman of the Commission
from
among its members.
Sec.
2. Definition of "Filipinos
Overseas". — For purposes of this Act, the term "Filipinos Overseas"
shall
mean Filipinos who are permanent residents abroad, including Filipino
emigrants
who are either already citizens of foreign countries or are still
Filipino
citizens awaiting naturalization, recognition, or admission, and their
descendants..chan
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Sec.
3. Powers and Functions.
— The Commission shall have the following powers and functions:.chan
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a. Provide
advice and assistance to the President (Prime Minister) of the
Philippines
and the Batasang Pambansa in the formulation of policies and measures
affecting
Filipinos overseas;.chan
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b. Formulate,
in coordination with agencies concerned, an integrated program for the
promotion of the welfare of Filipinos overseas for implementation by
suitable
existing agencies;.chan
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c. Coordinate
and monitor the implementation of such an integrated program; .chan
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d. Initiate
and directly undertake the implementation of special projects and
programs,
whenever necessary, to promote the welfare of Filipinos overseas with
respect
to their interests and activities in the Philippines;.chan
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e. Serve
as a forum for preserving and enhancing the social, economic and
cultural
ties of Filipinos overseas with their motherland;
f. Provide
liaison services to Filipinos overseas with appropriate government and
private agencies in the transaction of business and similar ventures in
the Philippines;.chan
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g. Promulgate
rules and regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act;.chan
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h. Call
upon any agency of the Government, including government-owned or
controlled
corporations, to render whatever assistance is needed in the pursuance
of the objectives of this Act; and.chan
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i. Perform
such other related functions as may be directed by the President (Prime
Minister) or assigned by law.
Sec.
4. Organization. — The
Commission shall be assisted by a Secretariat which shall be organized
and staffed in accordance with the provisions of Presidential Decree
Numbered
Eleven hundred and seventy-seven. The Commission is authorized,
whenever
necessary and subject to the approval of the President (Prime
Minister),
to establish offices in suitable places abroad, or to appoint service
attaches
in the Philippines Embassy or consulate located thereat, or to
designate
representatives from among resident Filipinos staying in these places.
Sec.
5. Compensation. — The
ex-officio members if the Commission shall be entitled to per diems for
meetings attended, not exceeding two hundred fifty pesos per meeting
and
not exceeding on thousand pesos a month. The other members of the
Commission
and the officials and employees of the Commission shall be compensated
pursuant to the provisions of Presidential Decree Numbered Nine hundred
eighty-five and Presidential Decree Numbered Twelve hundred and
eighty-five,
as the case may be..chan
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Sec.
6. Abolition of Office
of Emigrant Affairs. — The Office of Emigrants Affairs in the Ministry
of Labor and Employment is abolished and its pertinent functions are
transferred
to the Commission, including applicable funds, records, property and
equipment
and the necessary personnel that have been allotted and assigned to the
Office of Emigrant Affairs from the Ministry of Labor and Employment
and/or
other entities..chan
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Sec.
7. Appropriations. — The
appropriations authorized under Batas Pambansa Blg. 40 for the Office
of
Emigrant Affairs shall be used for the operational expenses of the
Commission
for the current year, to be augmented as may be necessary from the fund
for organizational changes provided in Batas Pambansa Blg. 40.
Subsequently,
its appropriation shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations
Act.
Sec.
8. Repealing Clause. —
All laws, orders, proclamations, rules, regulations, or parts thereof
which
are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed
or modified accordingly..chan
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Sec.
9. Effectivity. — This
Act shall take effect upon its approval..chan
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