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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Memorandum Order No. 321, December 5, 1972 ]

CREATING A POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICE IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE.

In view or the abolition or the Local Governments and Civil Affairs Office under the Integrated Reorganization Plan and there being an urgent need for a competent stair in the Executive Office to assist the President in the exercise or the discretionary powers over local governments vested in him in his capacity as President and to process, evaluate and brief the President on matters involving local governments, there is hereby created a Political Affairs Office in the Executive Office under the immediate control and supervision of the Assistant Executive Secretary for Local Governments with the following major junctions:

1. Assist the President and the Executive Secretary in formulating political policies and decisions;

2.  Gather, evaluate and analyze political information and/or data that may be necessary in formulating policies and decisions and monitor them to the President and the Executive Secretary;

3. Provide the President with immediate stair assistance to enable him to effectively exercise his power of control over local governments;

4. Provide the President with ready advice, information resource and such other data as may be necessary to guide him in decision-making and in formulating policies arresting local government administration;

5. Provide the President with a competent start to process, evaluate and brief him on appealed eases, reports and recommendation coming from the Department of Local Government and Community Development;

6. Provide coordination among the different serving the local governments; and agencies serving the local governments; and

7. Perform such other functions and related duties that the President or the Executive Secretary may assign from time to time.

The Political Affairs Office shall he composed of such personnel in the regular plantilla or the Local Governments and Civil Affairs Office as have opted to stay and not join the Department of Local Government and Community Development, including those assigned and actually working with the abolished Office and such personnel as may be deemed necessary who are competent and qualified, provided that the retention of such personnel shall not affect their status and tenure, nor constitute a demotion either in their rank or salary and they shall be deemed to have been appointed to their respective positions and class, notwithstanding changes in position titles.1aшphi1

The pertinent appropriation in the budget corresponding to the items of personnel to compose the Political Affairs Office as herein created, as well as their equipment and properties are hereby transferred to the newly created Office and only such appropriations, equipment and/or property as pertaining to the personnel of the abolished Local Governments and Civil Affairs Office who shall have joined the Department of Local Government and Community Development shall be transferred to said Department, in accordance with Part XVII, Chapter I, Article VII of the Integrated Reorganization Plan.

The Commissioner of the budget shall make the necessary adjustment and transfer of funds, as herein specified.

By authority of the President:

(Sgd.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary

Manila

December 5, 1972

Source: Presidential Management Staff

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