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PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 487



PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 487  - AUTHORIZING THE CREATION OF PHILIPPINE  CENTERS ABROAD

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WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to consolidate,  integrate and coordinate all the activities of all Philippine  Government offices and agencies abroad, which have hitherto  been dispersed and separated from each other, a situation  entailing unnecessary expense and duplication of functions;chanroblesvirtualawlibrary

WHEREAS, consistent with the human and material  resources of the Philippines, it is the objective of the New  Society, among other things, to nurture, promote and propagate  Philippine culture, to encourage foreign tourists to visit the  Philippines, to expand the foreign market for Philippine  products, to provide efficient and comprehensive public service  in the country and abroad, and in general to enhance the image  of the Philippines;chanroblesvirtualawlibrary

NOW, THEREFORE I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS,  President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me  vested by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order as  follows:  chanroblesvirtualawlibrary

Section 1.    In certain strategically located places approved  by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary of  Trade, there shall be incorporated a Philippine Center Management Board, hereinafter called "the Board," which  shall, in behalf of the Republic of the Philippines, acquire by  purchase or by any other appropriate means a building, which  shall house within its premises all the offices and agencies of  the Philippine Government. Such building shall be called "the  Philippine Center," hereinafter called "the Center," and shall  serve the purposes stated in the second paragraph of the  preamble.

Section 2.    The Board shall have the following composition  and functions:cralaw:red

A.    Composition —
1.    Chairman — The Chief of Mission

2.    Vice-Chairman — The Head of the Philippine National  Bank Branch Office, or in case there is no such branch office  the Philippine Commercial Attache or Trade Promotion  Representative.

Members:
3.    The Philippine Commercial Attache or Trade  Promotion Representative when not acting as Vice-Chairman.

4.    The Representative of the Department of Tourism.

5.    The Philippine Center Business Manager, who shall  also be the Secretary of the Board.

6.    One representative each from other offices and  agencies of the Philippine Government in the area.  chanroblesvirtualawlibrary

B.    Functions —
1.    The Board shall be responsible to the President of the  Philippines for the overall operation, maintenance and  management of the Center in accordance with this Decree and  with sound business practices.

2.    The Board shall meet at least once a year to prepare  and submit to the President of the Philippines through the  Secretary of Trade its annual report on the operations, financial  position and achievements of the Center not later than the 31st  of December of each year.

3.    The Board shall, in accordance with its procedures,  decide and implement policies dealing with the construction,  renovation, maintenance and operations of the Center. Its  decisions shall be arrived at by a simple majority of the entire  composition of the Board.

4.    The Board shall approve lease contracts for the rentals  stipulated in Section 5. All lease contracts shall be signed by the  Chairman of the Board. All lease payments shall be payable to  the "Philippine Center Management Board" and such payments  shall be promptly deposited in the bank for credit to the fund  provided in Section 3.

5.    The Board shall adopt the most practical and effective  arrangements for the security of personnel and the premises.

6.    The Board shall have such other functions consistent  with the objectives of this Decree.  chanroblesvirtualawlibrary

Section 3.    The funds for the purchase and renovation  of the Center shall be obtained through borrowings that the  Philippine National Bank is hereby authorized to secure as  agent for and in behalf of the Philippine Center Management  Board. Should such borrowings be inadequate to cover the cost  of purchase and renovation, the Philippine National Bank may  advance the necessary amount from its own resources in the  event of urgent need. For borrowings contracted by the said  bank, it shall be entitled to collect commission and service fees.  For advances made from its own resources, the said bank shall  be entitled to collect interest charges at the rate imposed by its  present lending policy for loans or advances of the same  category.

There is thereby appropriated annually out of any fund in  the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum  of twenty million pesos to repay the advances or borrowing  authorized in the preceding paragraph, including interests,  premiums, commission, service fees and other charges thereon.  Additional appropriations shall be authorized as the need arises.

The funds for the maintenance and operation of the Center  shall, as far as practicable, be taken from the income accruing  to the Center Fund: Provided, however, that advances  borrowings for this purpose may be obtained by the Board.

The Board shall have the power and authority to borrow  money from the Philippine National Bank or from other  creditors under financing arrangements that may be made with  the assistance of the said bank, and to mortgage, or assign,  or otherwise encumber its properties as security for such  borrowings. The borrowings made pursuant to this authority  shall be paid from any money in the Center Fund.

The Center Fund shall consist of the sales proceeds of  properties mentioned in Section 4 and the income of the Center  from lease payments and other sources.

Section 4.    All real property in the area owned by the  Philippine Government shall be sold at the most advantageous  price by the Board with the advise and assistance of a  representative of the Commission on Audit, and all the proceeds  thereof shall be transferred to and become part of the Center  Fund.

Section 5.    All Philippine Government offices or agencies  and private firms using the Center shall pay rent to the Board:  Provided, that in consideration of their service to the Center, of  the Philippine Embassy or Consulate and service  representatives attached to the Embassy or Consulate shall be  exempt from the payment of rent during the Center's first  two fiscal year of operation.

The rate of rent shall be based primarily on the prevailing  monthly or annual rate per square foot in other buildings  with comparable facilities within a two-block radius of the Center.

Section 6.    The Board shall appoint a Philippine Center  Business Manager, hereinafter called "the Manager," who shall be  responsible to the Board for the effective and prompt  implementation of its policies and decisions.

A.    The following emoluments shall be paid to the Manager  by the Board from the Center Fund:cralaw:red

1.    Salary — The Manager shall have an annual salary  twelve thousand US dollars (US$ 12,000.00), with increase  proportionate to any increase in rental rates.

2.    Benefits —
a.    Health and hospitalization insurance equivalent  to coverage of the employees of the Philippine Embassy  or Consulate.

b.    Social Security under local laws. chanroblesvirtualawlibrary

B.    Functions:
1.    The Manager shall be the Secretary of the Board and  shall prepare the agenda and the minutes of Board meetings.

2.    He shall be responsible for the safety, cleanliness and  orderly maintenance of the building.

3.    He shall perform such other functions as may be  assigned to him by the Board.

Section 7.    The Center shall have a trade, tourism and  investment center, called Philippine House, for Philippine  products and cultural, tourism and investment materials,  which shall be under the direct supervision of the Department  of Trade and which shall be operated under guidelines issued by  the Secretary of Trade. The Center shall also provide for an  auditorium/teacher/community room; a library room; a  restaurant; a penthouse for socials of the Embassy or Consulate  and for rental to the Philippine Community; a storage room;  and such other areas as may be necessary or proper to be  decided by the Board.

Section 8.    The Department of Trade, with the assistance  and cooperation of other government offices and agencies  concerned, shall be the coordinating and clearing house of  support activities for the center. For this purpose, there is  hereby appropriated out of any fund in the National Treasury  not otherwise appropriated the sum of five million pesos to  serve as a revolving fund of the Department of Trade for  operating expenses of Philippine Houses abroad.

Section 9.    The Secretary of Trade may appoint a Filipino  architectural consultant for the Center. Such consultant shall  advise the Board and local architects and/or building  contractors on the exterior and interior renovation work that  may be undertaken in order that the Center may project an  image which is representative of the best in Philippine life and  culture.

Section 10.    This Decree amends Presidential Decree No.  188, dated May 10, 1973 and Presidential Decree No. 258, dated  July 31, 1973.

Done in the City of Manila, this 19th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.


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