EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 323 April 10, 1996

PROVIDING FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF STUDENT VOLUNTEERS IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC) 1996 MEETING IN THE PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS, a major objective of government is people empowerment entailing, among others, the active participation of the youth in the affairs of state;

WHEREAS a special concern of government is to create opportunities for the youth to further enhance their academic skills through hands-on experience;

WHEREAS the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) encourages private sector participation in issues and concerns most relevant to them;

WHEREAS the Philippines' hosting this year of APEC provides an excellent opportunity for the youth to be involved in international conferences and other relevant activities;

WHEREAS the successful hosting of APEC activities in the Philippines depends not only on the efforts of government but also on the active participation of its citizenry, particularly the youth;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Coordination. The Department of Foreign Affairs, a lead agency for the convening of major APEC meetings and the APEC National Organizing Commission, as the duly constituted authority to organize and supervise all activities related to the hosting of said meetings, shall devise a program that would allow the active involvement of student volunteers in on-going APEC undertakings leading to the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting to be held in Subic in November 1996.

SECTION 2. Authority. The Office of the Chair of the APEC Senior Officials Meetings, Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Director-General, APEC NOC Executive Committee, shall employ the services of an appropriate number of student volunteers to be trained in the substantive aspects of the Philippine preparations for the APEC hosting in 1996 for the APEC SOM Chair and the administrative aspects for the APEC NOC.

SECTION 3. Funding. Each student volunteer shall receive a monthly honorarium of TWO THOUSAND PESOS (P2,000.00) beginning on the month the student volunteer reports for duty until December 1996 when the Philippine hosting of APEC shall have concluded. The expenses to be incurred shall be charged, as appropriate, against the funds of the APEC Substantive Group, Department of Foreign Affairs and the International Commitments Fund Requirement for the Hosting of the 1996 APEC Meetings as authorized in the General Appropriations Act of 1996.

SECTION 4. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 10th day of April in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.

(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES

Executive Secretary