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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Proclamation No. 137, December 10, 2001 ]

DECLARING THE YEAR 2002 AS THE NATIONAL YEAR OF THE HEART AND THE PERIOD FROM YEAR 2002 TO 2012 AS THE NATIONAL DECADE OF CARDIOLOGY

WHEREAS, Presidential Proclamation No. 1096 series of 1972, has declared February of every year as Philippine Heart Month;

WHEREAS, said proclamation mandates that there should be national awareness of the growing prevalence of heart cases among our people which should be attended with urgency;

WHEREAS, the true wealth of a nation is the health of its people and a nation can stand only as strong and healthy as its people are strong and healthy;

WHEREAS, cardiovascular diseases have been the number one cause of deaths in the country for over a decade now;

WHEREAS, in recognition with the role of the Philippine Heart Association and the Department of Health as lead institutions in the fight against cardiovascular disease, it is fitting to declare the year 2002 as the National Year of the Heart and the period from the year 2002 to 2012 as National Decade of Cardiology, to commemorate in 2002 the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Philippine Heart Association, Inc.;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the year 2002 as the NATIONAL YEAR OF THE HEART and the period from the year 2002-2012 as the NATIONAL DECADE OF CARDIOLOGY.

The said period shall be devoted to the task of finding ways of effectively delivering primary care and making secondary care on cardiovascular diseases more accessible and affordable to all Filipinos.

The same period shall also be dedicated to the encouragement as well as improvement of the research and training capabilities of all concerned institutions through various support and network mechanisms that both the Philippine Heart Association and the Department of Health are hereby directed to initiate and undertake.1aшphi1

All concerned government agencies and instrumentalities including government-owned and controlled corporations, as well as the private sector, are enjoined and

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

DONE in the City of Manila, this 10th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand and one.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO
Executive Secretary

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