CREATING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE CENTENNIAL OF THE BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF GERONIMA TOMELDEN PECSON

WHEREAS, Geronima Tomelden Pecson is one of our
illustrious Filipinos who blazed the hitherto unchartered trails for women in
the fields of education, culture and sports both locally and internationally;

WHEREAS, in 1947 Geronima T. Pecson became the
first and only woman member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Amateur
Athletic Association;

WHEREAS, also in 1947 Geronima T. Pecson was
elected first woman Senator of the Philippines where she distinguished herself
with authorship and/or sponsorship of landmark bills enacted into laws on education,
social, cultural, sports, women and youth, and agriculture, among other
important legislations;

WHEREAS, in 1950 Geronima T. Pecson was elected by
the delegates from the 60 member nations of UNESCO as the first Filipino and
woman member of the Executive Board of that international agency of the United
Nations which she served with distinction for eight years;

WHEREAS, on January 26, 1989 UNESCO
Director-General Federico Mayor in a testimonial plaque to Geronima T. Pecson
in cognizance “of her more than three decades of untiring, outstanding and
exemplary support to UNESCO in spirit and in deeds” said in Part:

“In recognition of exceptional services to her
country and people as a model teacher, educator and school administrator . . .
as uncompromising champion of youth development as exemplified in having
founded in 1966 the Foundation for Youth Development in the Philippines . . .
and as a dedicated social worker to the amelioration of the lives of the
under-privileged . . . With deep respect for the unfailing resilience of her
human spirit inspired by her genuine love for humanity as a whole and her
abiding dedication with the millions of people left in illiteracy and
despondency, as well as her sagacity, sincerity, simplicity, and force of
creativity, which have earned her the distinction of being known to many as
Mother UNESCO.”‘

WHEREAS, December 19, 1996 will mark the centennial
of the birth anniversary of this great Filipino woman and it is only fitting
that such significant event be commemorated and celebrated with fitting
programs, activities and projects not only in her home province of Pangasinan
in Luzon but also in the Visayas and Mindanao;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President 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
birth anniversary of Geronima Tomelden Pecson on December 19, 1996, to be
composed of the following:

The
Committee, in coordination with all agencies concerned, is hereby designated to
take charge of the celebration and to undertake the following activities:

a. Prepare the general program of the Centennial
and submit a copy of the same to the President for information;

b. Promote and direct an appropriate symposium on
the life of Geronima Tomelden Pecson either in Manila or in Pangasinan;

c. Prepare and publish a comprehensive biography of
Geronima Tomelden Pecson; and

d. Install a fitting and inspiring monument in
honor of the late Senator Geronima Tomelden Pecson in her birth place of Lingayen,
Pangasinan.

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 birth anniversary of
Geronima Tomelden Pecson.

SEC. 5. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 25th day
of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety six.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the
President:

(Sgd.) RUBEN
D. TORRES
Executive Secretary

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}