EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 320 May 14, 1996

CREATING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE CENTENNIAL OF THE DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF MARCELO H. DEL PILAR

WHEREAS, Marcelo H. del Pilar is one of our great Filipino heroes revered for his fearless writings denouncing the abuses of friars and their oppression of the Filipinos during the Spanish regime;

WHEREAS, in 1892 Marcelo H. del Pilar founded the first Tagalog daily, the Diariong Tagalog, which denounced Spanish maladministration of the Philippines and later edited the newspaper, La Solidaridad, which championed the cause for greater Philippine autonomy;

WHEREAS, in the words of Governor General Ramon Blanco, then Chief Executive of the erstwhile Philippine colony, Del Pilar was "the most intelligent leader, the real soul of the separatists";

WHEREAS, July 4, 1996 will mark the centennial of the death anniversary of this great hero and it is only fitting that such significant event be commemorated and celebrated not only in his home province of Bulacan but also throughout the country with fitting programs, activities and projects;

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 order as follows:

SECTION 1. A Special Committee is hereby created to take charge of the nationwide preparations to commemorate the centennial of the death anniversary of Marcelo H. del Pilar on July 4, 1996, to be composed of the following:

1. Secretary Ricardo T. Gloria, Department of Education, Culture and Sports C Chairman

2. Senator Blas F. Ople, Senate of the Philippines C Co-Chairman

3. Representative Teodulo C. Natividad, House of Representatives C Co-Chairman

4. The Executive Director of the National Centennial Commission C Co-Chairman

5. The Executive Director of the National Historical Institute C Vice-Chairman

6. The Executive Director or his duly designated representative,National Commission for Culture and the Arts C Member

7. The Governor of the Province of Bulacan or his duly designated representative C Member

8. The President of the National Press Club or his duly designated representative C Member

9. The President of the Manila Overseas Press Club or his duly designated representative C Member

10. The President of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc.or his duly designated representative C Member

11. A representative from the family of Marcelo H. del Pilar C Member

SEC. 2. The Committee shall be provided with technical and administrative support to be composed of detailed personnel from the National Historical Institute, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the National Centennial Commission.

SEC. 3. The Committee shall be funded with an initial budget to be drawn from the President's Contingent Fund, in an amount to be recommended by the Committee and approved by the President.

SEC. 4. The Committee shall be an ad hoc body and its existence shall terminate upon the completion of all the activities, programs and projects related to the centennial of the death anniversary of Marcelo H. del Pilar.

SEC. 5. This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 14th day of May in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.