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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Proclamation No. 75, January 29, 1999 ]

DECLARATION OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AS THE COUNTRYSIDE DEVELOPMENT MONTH

WHEREAS, the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (1998-2003) emphasizes countryside development as key to national economic recovery and the attainment of Newly Industrial Country (NIC) status by the year 2000;

WHEREAS, a shift in the development strategies from the metropolis to the countryside augurs well for economic decentralization and the preparation of the country in economic integration with other ASEAN Free Trader Area (AFTA);

WHEREAS, countryside development will offer an opportunity to balance the economic forces between the provinces and the National Capital Region (NCR);

WHEREAS, countryside development will off-set the tide of the brain drain from the countryside to urban centers and outside the country;

WHEREAS, the promotion and patronage of countryside products among local consumers will facilitate government and private efforts in developing the countryside;

WHEREAS, countryside development with focus on private initiative will encourage an effective, sustainable and valuable developmental program.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare and proclaim the month of February, 1999 and every year thereafter, as Countryside Development Month.1aшphi1

All departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the government shall assist in the promotion and observance of the Countryside Development Month and channel part of their budgetary allocation for countryside development to finance the month-long observance.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government shall in particular attend to its appropriate observance every year in cooperation with local government units.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 29th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Nine.

(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA

By the President:

(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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