EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 128 - ESTABLISHING THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION FOR THE NEW CENTURY AND THE MILLENNIUM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, the dawning of the new century calls both for a celebration as well as a reflection of the need to craft strategic goals to meet the growing needs of the population;

WHEREAS, even as the new century unfolds, most of the country still remains backward insofar as agricultural production methods and practices are concerned thus substantially affecting the country’s ability to produce enough food for its people, let alone provide livelihood for people in the countryside;

WHEREAS, with the advent of the millennium and the dawning of 21st century, there is expected to be a quantum surge of advances in the field of science and technology; 

WHEREAS, these advances are expected to have substantial effects on all aspects of human life, whether in commerce, information, health or the production of basic goods and utilities;

WHEREAS, in the light of these expected advances, there is a need to craft policies and programs to ensure that the fruits of science and technology shall be fully developed and applied to all programs of this administration;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Presidential Commission on the New Century and the Millennium. — A Presidential Commission on the New Century and the Millennium (hereinafter referred to as the “Commission”) is hereby established under the Office of the President to be composed as follows:

a. Secretary of Agriculture   - Chairperson

b. Secretary of Science and Technology - Co-Chairperson

c. Secretary of Budget and Management - Member

d. Secretary of Trade and Industry   - Member

e. Secretary of Interior and Local Government  - Member

f. Secretary of Tourism   - Member

g. Press Secretary     - Member

h. Director General of the National
   Economic Development Authority - Member

i. Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs   - Member
   representing the Office of the President

j. Chairman of the Social Security System   - Member

k. President and CEO, Land Bank of the
Philippines  - Member

l. Chairman, National Youth Commission    - Member

m.   Two (2) representatives from the
Private sector to be designated by the
President     - Member

n. Director General of the Commission    - Ex-Officio Member

Sec. 2. Functions of the Commission. — The Commission shall be an advisory body to the President and shall exercise the following functions and responsibilities:

a. Develop and recommend to the President the country’s strategic vision and goals in the next century on how the country should prepare and adopt expected advances in science and technology for agriculture and other priority areas;

b. Prepare and recommend to the President the Master Plan on the Millennium and the New Century, with emphasis on science and technology to advance the country’s agriculture sector;

c. Identify, coordinate and operationalize all related activities necessary to implement the country’s celebration of the millennium and the above-mentioned master plan; and

d. Accept or receive donations and other conveyances by gratuitous title of funds, materials and services for the use in the planning, operationalization and management of the country’s celebration of the millennium and the above-mentioned master plan, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations;

e. Undertake all other measures necessary for the successful implementation of the said master plan.

Sec. 3. Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebration. — In order to ensure the success of the country’s celebration of the turn-of-the-century from September to December 31, 1999, and coordinate the participation of the entire citizenry nationwide, a committee on the turn-of-the-century celebration is hereby established under the supervision of the Commission, to be composed as follows:

a. Secretary of Tourism  - Chairperson

b. Secretary of Trade and Industry - Member

c. Secretary of Interior and Local Government - Member

d. Secretary of Budget and Management   - Member

e. Press Secretary    - Member

f. One (1) representative from the Private
   Sector designated by the President as
   Member of the Commission, and chosen
   By the Commission    - Member

g. Director General of the Commission - Member