PHILIPPINE LAWS, STATUTES, CODES & ISSUANCES
PHILIPPINE LAWS, STATUTES AND CODES - CHAN ROBLES VIRTUAL LAW LIBRARY
REPUBLIC ACTS
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REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6365 - AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL POLICY ON POPULATION, CREATING THE COMMISSION
ON POPULATION AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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| Section
1. This
Act shall be known as the Population Act of the Philippines. Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. � The Congress of the Philippines hereby declares that for the purpose of furthering the national development, increasing the share of each Filipino in the fruits of economic progress and meeting the grave social and economic challenge of a high rate of population growth, a national program of family planning which respects the religious beliefs of the individuals involved shall be undertaken. The Congress of the Philippines further declares that the national population policy and program will include the following elements: quantitative goals will be established and adopted; a broad understanding of the effects of alternative rates of population growth on family and national welfare be promoted; family planning will be made part of a broad educational program; safe and effective means will be provided to couples desiring to space or limit family size; mortality and morbidity rates will be further reduced; policies and programs guiding and regulating labor force participation, internal migration, and spatial distribution of population will be adopted; and contact with international agencies and private organizations concerned with population problems will be established and maintained on a regular basis. Sec. 3. Commission on Population: Creation and Composition. � To carry out the purposes and objectives of the Act, there is hereby created in the Office of the President a Commission on Population, hereinafter referred to as Commission, composed of the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Social Welfare, the Commissioner of National Integration, the Presidential Arm on Community Development, the Director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute, and in addition, the President shall appoint, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments, a representative from each of the following: Philippine Press Institute, National League of Puericulture Centers, Inc., Philippine Medical Association, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, the Responsible Parenthood Council and the Institute of Maternal and Child Health, for a term of five years. Sec. 4. Functions and Duties. � The Commission shall have the following functions and duties: (a) To formulate and adopt coherent, integrated and comprehensive long-term plans, programs and recommendations on population as it relates to economic and social development consistent with and implementing the population policy, which shall be submitted to and approved by the President, upon recommendation of the National Economic Council: provided, that the National Economic Council shall act on all such plans, programs and recommendations not later than sixty days from receipt thereof; (b) To receive and approve project proposals and to coordinate and evaluate their implementation in accordance with approved plans and programs; (c) To put up family planning clinics in cooperation with the Department of Health; (d) To undertake such action projects as are necessary; (e) To undertake, promote, and publish studies and investigations on Philippine population in all its aspects; (f) To assemble and disseminate technical and scientific information relating to medical, social, economic and cultural phenomena as these affect or are affected by population; (g) To submit an annual report to the President and to Congress on plans, programs, and progress of population activities. For this purpose, the Commission may require all agencies concerned to provide information necessary in the preparation of said report; (h) To adopt rules of procedures for its government; (i) To receive and accept from sources within and without the Philippines for its own use and not for sale, grants or donations of equipment, materials or services. Such grants or donations shall be exempt from gift taxes and deductible from the net taxable income of the grantor or donor and the donee, upon certification of the Commission: provided, however, that any grant or donation received in accordance with this paragraph shall be disclosed to Congress through the annual report; and (j) To perform such duties as proper authorities may from time to time direct the Commission to undertake. The Commission may call upon any department, bureau, office or agency or instrumentality for such assistance as it may require in the performance of its functions. Sec. 5. Chairman. � The Commission shall elect its Chairman from among its members. The Chairman of the Commission shall be responsible for calling and presiding over its meetings and shall for or in behalf of the Commission, receive gifts or donations, in whatever form and whatever source, and shall administer, obligate, and disburse the same, upon approval by a majority of the members of the Commission, and hire and maintain a staff to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Commission, in accordance with the terms of the donation, and in the absence thereof, in such manner as the Commission may in its discretion determine in conjunction with Section four, paragraph (i): provided, that not more than fifteen percent of the funds of the Commission shall be utilized for administration expenses of the Commission. Sec. 6. Meetings. � The Commission shall meet at least once in every four months and at other times at the call the Chairman. The Chairman of the Commission may constitute continuing or ad hoc committees consisting of the members of the Commission or such other experts as are deemed necessary to conduct studies for the Commission, or to assist in the discharge of its functions. Sec. 7. Executive Committee. � The Commission shall have an Executive Committee which shall act for the Commission when the latter is not is session. The Executive Committee shall be composed of: the Chairman of the Commission as Chairman and as members, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Social Welfare, the Commissioner of National Integration, the Presidential Arm on Community Development, the Responsible Parenthood Council, the Director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute, the representative of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, the Director of the Institute of Maternal and Child health, and a representative from the National League of Puericulture Centers, Inc. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month or at the call of the Chairman. Sec. 8. Staff. � The Commission shall have an Executive Director who shall act as its action officer and shall serve as secretary of the Commission and the Executive Committee. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Chairman with the consent of the Commission. Subject to the direction and supervision of the Chairman, the Executive Director shall be responsible for the operation of the national population program, and for making decisions on a day-to-day basis. The Executive Director shall be responsible for preparing periodic reviews of program progress, for annual budget estimates, and for recommending policy to the Commission, and shall perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Commission. The Commission shall have such other personnel as may be necessary and may be assisted by such personnel as may be assigned or detailed to it from departments, bureaus, offices, or instrumentalities of the Government and shall arrange for such services as the Chairman may deem necessary for the performance of the Commission's work. Sec. 9. Annual Report to Congress. � Not later than thirty days after the opening of the regular session of Congress each year, the Commission shall submit to both Houses of Congress an annual report on the achievement of the Commission, stating its plans and projects and defining therein the problems encountered in the preceding year and the recommended solutions and actions or measures expected of Congress on account thereof, if any. SECTION 10. Appropriations. � The sum of four and a half million pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, as operating funds for the Commission starting the fiscal year nineteen hundred seventy two: provided, that out of this sum shall be disbursed the equivalent of the amount of three hundred fifty thousand dollars as the contribution of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations Fund for Population Activities for the calendar year nineteen hundred seventy-two: provided, further, that at least seventy-five per cent of the said amount of three hundred fifty thousand dollars shall be used to finance population projects in the Philippines pursuant to this Act which are approved by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities: and, provided, finally, that said amount may be increased or decreased in the succeeding years by the Commission in accordance with its financial position. This appropriation shall hereafter be included in the General Appropriations Act. SECTION 11. Repeal. � Any and all Acts, statutes, rules, regulations or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION 12. Separability. � If for any reason, any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, no other section or provision of this Act shall be affected thereby. SECTION 13. Effectivity. � This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved: August 16, 1971 |
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