REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4594 - AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL FAO (FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
ORGANIZATION) COMMITTEE
Section 1. There is hereby created under the President of the
Republic of the Philippines the Philippine National FAO (Food and
Agriculture Organization) Committee, hereinafter called the Committee.
The Committee shall be composed of a Chairman, an Executive Secretary,
and the following other Members: the directors of the Bureau of Animal
Industry, Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Soils, Bureau of Lands,
Bureau of Forestry, Bureau of Public Schools, Bureau of Health and
Research Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Research Center of the National
Science Development Board, Foreign Aid Coordination of the National
Economic Council; the commissioners of the Philippine Fisheries
Commission, Commission on Agricultural Productivity; the Chairman and
General Manager, Philippine Coconut Administration; the
General-Manager, PHILSUGIN; the Administrator, National Irrigation
Administration; the Administrator, Agricultural Credit Administration;
the Chief, Economic Affairs Division, Department of Foreign Affairs;
and the Dean, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines.
The Chairman and the Executive Secretary of the Committee shall be
appointed by the President of the Philippines, but the latter shall be
appointed in accordance with the Civil Service Law. No person shall be
appointed as Chairman of the Committee unless he is a man of science,
enjoys the respect of his peers, possesses broad knowledge of FAO
affairs and wide experience in international conferences, has many
years of administrative practice, and holds at least a Bachelors degree
in Agriculture or its related equivalents. No person shall be appointed
as Executive Secretary of the Committee unless he has technical
training in food and agriculture, broad knowledge and extensive
experience and interest in FAO and related matters, a working knowledge
of one of the official languages of the FAO of the United Nations, and
is a holder of at least a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Home
Economics or related fields.
The Chairman shall be the head of the Committee and the presiding
officer of its meetings. The Executive Secretary shall be a Member of
the Committee and also the administrative officers of its Secretariat
and the recorder of its deliberations. In the absence of the Chairman
or in his inability to preside over a Committee meeting, the Members
may elect a temporary chairman from among themselves to preside over
such meeting.
The Chairman shall receive an annual compensation of eighteen thousand
pesos plus a representation allowance of two thousand four hundred
pesos annually. The Executive Secretary shall receive an annual
compensation of twelve thousand pesos. The other Members of the
Committee shall receive a per diem of twenty-five pesos each for every
meeting of the Committee attended by them.
The Committee shall have such technical, secretarial and other
personnel as may be necessary whose number and compensation shall be
determined by the Committee. They shall be appointed by the Chairman in
accordance with the Civil Service Law and their compensation shall be
fixed in accordance with the scale of salaries and wages prescribed by
the Wage and Position Classification Office.
Sec. 2. The Committee shall have the following
general functions:
(1) Serve as the national liaison in securing direct
and quick exchanges of information between the Government of the
Republic of the Philippines and the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, hereinafter called the Organization;
(2) Coordinate and administer all food and
agriculture activities of the Government pertaining to food and
agricultural production, and the distribution and marketing of
agricultural products in the Philippines, and to this end, the
Committee shall assist in the national effort to raise the levels of
nutrition and standards of living of the Filipino people; improve the
efficiency of food and agricultural production and distribution of
agricultural products in the Philippines; and improve the living
condition of the inhabitants of the Republic of the Philippines,
especially those in the rural areas.
Sec. 3. The Committee shall have the following
specific powers and duties:
(1) Bring to the attention of the Government agencies
concerned the various technical as well as financial assistance being
offered by the Organization;
(2) Receive project proposals for assistance and
evaluate, in consultation with appropriate Government agencies, the
feasibility of the projects submitted;
(3) In consultation with the National Economic
Council, recommend selected projects arranged in the order of priority
to the United Nations Technical Assistance Board or to the Organization
Headquarters in Rome, for approval.
(4) Evaluate periodically the progress of on-going
projects and make suggestions and recommendations as are necessary to
execute the projects to a successful end;
(5) Establish a regular senior research fellowship in
the fields of agriculture, nutrition and home economics and related
subjects similar to the FAO Andre Mayor Fellowship;
(6) Take original action on all candidatures for FAO
scholarship, fellowship and practical technical training programs;
(7) Act on all invitations and form delegations
and/or representations to international conferences, sessions,
technical meetings, training centers, seminars, symposia, study groups,
study tours sponsored or co-sponsored by the Organization:
(8) Maintain an adequate machinery which will ensure
accuracy, continuity and uniformity of presentation of the data and
information presented by the Philippine delegations to the various
meetings of the Organization;
(9) Maintain a Philippine representative to the Food
and Agriculture Organization in Rome, Italy;
(10) Recommend measures for accelerating the
development of food and agricultural production;
(11) Select nominees for practical training and
fellowships and nominate representatives to training centers sponsored
by the Organization, or co-sponsored by the Organization and Member
Governments of the Organization, or sponsored by the United Nations
itself and its specialized agencies; and
(12) Perform such other related functions which the
President of the Philippines may assign to it from time to time.
Sec. 4. The Committee is empowered to call upon
any officer or employee of any department, bureau, office, agency, or
instrumentality of the Government for such assistance as may be needed
for the proper discharge of its functions.
Sec. 5. To carry out the purposes of this Act for
the fiscal year nineteen hundred sixty-six, the sum of one million
pesos is authorized to be appropriated out of any funds in the National
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the same to be expended by the
Committee for its operation as follows:
(1) For salaries and wages;
(2) For sundry expenses consisting of transportation,
and other expenses as well as per diems for travels of Philippine
representatives to FAO-sponsored or co-sponsored conferences, seminars
and other meetings, held locally or abroad; supplies and materials;
lighting and illumination; telephone, telegraph, cable and radio
services; publication of official organ; binding and printing of useful
publications; rental of buildings; entertainment of local and visiting
scientists; FAO officials and FAO specialists; and meal allowance of
Committee Members including members of the secretarial staff and guests
attending Committee meetings; for local expenses in holding FAO
sponsored or co-sponsored international training centers, seminars,
regional conferences, etc., when the Philippines is host thereof; and
for bonus or honorarium for a consultant plus allowance for
transportation;
(3) Purchase and repair of furniture and equipment
including the purchase of one utility motor vehicle for official
business; and
(4) Other services.
Sec. 6. Administrative Order Numbered Forty-one,
issued by the President of the Philippines on June seventeen, nineteen
hundred forty-six, as amended, and all Acts, executive orders, rules
and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act, are repealed, and the Philippine Committee on Food and
Agriculture created by the said Administrative Order is hereby
abolished and its records, property, assets and liabilities are
transferred to the Committee herein created.
Sec. 7. This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.
Approved: June 19, 1965
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