CREATING A NATIONAL COMMISSION ON THE ROLE OF FILIPINO WOMEN

WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the United Nations has
designated 1975 as International Women’s Year with its central theme of
“Equality, Development and Peace”;

WHEREAS, the United Nations will convene during
International Women’s Year an International Conference in which, inter
alia, will be launched an international action-program including
short and long term measures aimed at achieving the integration of women
as full and equal partners with men in the total development effort;

WHEREAS, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines
recognizes the significant contribution of Filipino women as citizens,
homemakers, workers, volunteers, as well as their increasing
participation in the development of friendly relations and cooperation
among nations, and the promotion of world peace; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for a body to review, evaluate and
recommend measures, including priorities, to ensure the full integration
of women for economic, social, and cultural development at national,
regional and international levels and to ensure further equality between
men and women;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution,
do hereby create under the Office of the President a National Commission
on the Role of the Filipino Women. The membership shall be as
follows:

Chairman — Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos
Members:
	(1)	Members of the Cabinet whose respective departments directly or indirectly affect the participation of Women in national development and their integration therein;
	(2)	The heads of women’s organizations as the President may designate;
	(3)	The heads of the different chambers of commerce and industry;
	(4)	Representatives of government and private sectors as the President may designate who would be in a position to help implement the aims of International Women’s Year;
	(5)	Others as may be deemed necessary by the Commission.

The members of the Commission may designate qualified and competent
representatives to act in their stead”. The Commission may create such
committees as it may deem necessary to carry out its functions:

The Commission shall have the following functions:

1. To advise the President in formulating policies and
   implementing programs on increased contribution by women in national
   development;
2. To ensure that the gains which Filipino women have achieved
   because of Philippine culture and tradition will be preserved and
   enhanced in the process of modernization;
3. To continuously review and evaluate the extent to which women
   are integrated in all sectors of economic and social life at all levels
   on a basis of equality with men;
4. To make recommendations which would guarantee the enjoyment by
   women and men of full equality before the law in all fields where it
   does not exist;
5. To prepare a national program for International Women’s Year
   which can be implemented throughout the Philippines.

This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 7th day of January, in the
year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.