MAKING PUBLIC THE GENEVA CONVENTION FOR THE AMELIORATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE WOUNDED, SICK, AND SHIPWRECKED MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES AT SEA OF AUGUST 12, 1949.

WHEREAS, the Geneva Convention for the
Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of
the Armed Forces at Sea of August 12, 1949, was signed by the authorized
representatives of the Philippines and of other countries;

WHEREAS, the Convention provides, among others,
that members of the Armed Forces and other persons covered by the Convention
shall be treated humanely and cared for by the Parties to the conflict in whose
powers they may be, without any adverse distinction founded on sex, race,
nationality, religion, political opinion, or any other similar criteria; that
Parties to the conflict shall forward to the information bureau described in
Article 122 of the Geneva Convention of August 12, 11949, relative to the
Treatment of Prisoners of war, all record in respect of each shipwrecked,
wounded and sick or dead preson of the adverse party falling into their hands;
that military hospital ships built and equipped by the Powers especially and
solely with a view to assisting the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, to treating
and transporting them may in no circumstances be attacked or captured; that
religious, medical, and hospital personnel of hospital ships and their crews
shall be respected and protected;

WHEREAS, the present Convention replaces the 10th
Hague Convention of October 18, 1907, for the adaptation to Maritime Warfare of
the principles of the Geneva Convention of 1906, in relations between the High
Contracting Parties;

WHEREAS, the Senate of the Congress of the
Philippines, by its Resolution No. 80 adopted on May 2, 1952, concurred in the
ratification of the aforesaid Convention in accordance with the Constitution of
the Philippines;

WHEREAS, the instrument of ratification of the
Republic of the Philippines was signed by the President on August 210, 1952,
and deposited on October 6, 1952 .with the Swiss Government; and,

WHEREAS, the said Convention entered into force
for the Philippines six months after the said deposit of its instrument of
ratification, in accordance with Article 57 thereof;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it known that I, Ramon
Magsaysay, President of the Philippines, do hereby proclaim and make public the
said Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded,
Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea of August 12, 1949, a copy
of which is hereto attached, to the end that the same and every clause and
article thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the Republic
of the Philippines and the citizens thereof.

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

Done at the City of Manila, this 16th day of
February, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-six, and of the
Independence of the Philippines, the tenth.

RAMON MAGSAYSAY
President of the Philippines

By the President:
FORTUNATO DE LEON
Acting Executive Secretary