EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 531 April 3, 1979
DIRECTING THE NATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE IMPLEMENTING PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 516 AS AMENDED, TO ADMINISTER AND MANAGE THE KAPAI SETTLEMENT/INTEGRATION PROJECT IN LANAO DEL SUR
WHEREAS, on October 21, 1978, the President of the Philippines issued Proclamation No. 1798-a reserving for settlement purposes certain parcels of land of the public domain in Kapai, Lanao del Sur, containing an area of 5,500 hectares, more or less;
WHEREAS, pursuant to said proclamation, the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) implementing Presidential Memorandum Order No. 516 as amended, was directed to prepare the area development plan, work program, cost estimates and other technical plans and designs for the total development of the settlement;
WHEREAS, prior to the issuance of said proclamation a significant number of members of the North Mindanao Revolutionary Command surrendered to the President of the Philippines and manifested their desire to be resettled to enable them to live peacefully; that in response thereto, the President of the Philippines ordered and directed the NCC implementing PMO 516 as amended and the Central Mindanao Command (CEMCOM) to take charge of the relocation and rehabilitation of said rebel returnees;
WHEREAS, it is desirable to populate the proposed area not only with rebel returnees but also with deserving mustered-out military personnels, evacuees and other needy persons affected by the conflict in Southern Philippines;
WHEREAS, in the process of developing a settlement/integration center it is necessary to adopt strategic intervention formulas which ensure that the benefits to be derived from the project will be relevant and responsive to national security;
WHEREAS, in the implementation of this crash strategic intervention program, it is desirable that the planners should have a free and direct hand in carrying out the developmental activities, not only for reasons of expediency but also to allow necessary revisions and leeway to effectively carry out its objectives.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby direct and order:
1) The NCC under PMO 516 herein after known as the Committee is hereby charged with the planning, organization, administration and management of the settlement/integration project in Kapai, Lanao del Sur.
2) The Committee is hereby authorized to:
a) call upon any government agency for assistance in the development of the settlement area;
b) harvest the existing timberstand in the settlement subject however to forestry laws, rules and regulations, and the proceeds thereof to be used for the development of the settlement and operational expenses of the Committee. For this purpose, the Committee may get the necessary timber license to cut, haul, process, use and dispose of the forest products;
c) disburse funds subject to the usual government auditing and accounting requirements for the development of the area and the administrative expenses that are necessary thereto;
d) propose and request for appropriations and/or allotment of funds necessary for the development of the area; and
e) process and screen the settler-applicants on their qualifications in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations on the matter.
3) The Chairman of the Committee shall sign all requests or approval for release and disbursement of funds and contracts for and in behalf of the Committee.
4) All funds which are appropriated and have been previously released as well as those earmarked for the development of the Kapai settlement/integration project are hereby transferred to the Committee. The Committee is also authorized to reprogram the allocation of said funds to ensure the systematic development of the project.
5) The Committee shall submit to the President a quarterly report on the accomplishments, expenditures, problems and their solutions in the development of the area.
6) Any provision of Proclamation No. 1798-A which is inconsistent or conflicts with this Order is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
This Order shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of April, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-nine.
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