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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Proclamation No. 239, August 25, 1993 ]

DECLARING THE PERIOD FROM SEPTEMBER 2 TO 8 OF EVERY YEAR AS LITERACY WEEK

WHEREAS, the government, through the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPD), aims “to raise the quality of life and achieve a vision of development through people empowerment”;

WHEREAS, literacy is a fundamental right of all and a vital factor empowering people and communities towards meaningful development;

WHEREAS, the period 1990 to 1999 is the “Decade of Education For All”;

WHEREAS, Education For All (EFA) is a program spearheaded by government aimed at bringing basic education within reach of all Filipinos by the year 2000;

WHEREAS, literacy is an integral component of EFA;

WHEREAS, there are 2.8 M Filipinos, aged 10 and above, who are basically illiterate, 11.7 M are functionally illiterate, and 2.9 M out-of-school youth may revert to illiteracy, if not provided immediate assistance;

WHEREAS, it is the duty of the state to support in terms of policy, resources and programs geared towards the eradication of illiteracy;

WHEREAS, there is a need to highlight the importance of literacy and education, given governments vision of Philippines 2000 that would be better achieved with the improvement of the quality of our human resources through literacy and education, among others;

WHEREAS, there are those who have dedicated their lifes work to reaching out to illiterate individuals and communities, deserving of recognition;

NOW, THEREFORE, I FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the period from September 2 to 8 of every year as Literacy Week.ℒαwρhi৷

The Department of Education, Culture and Sports, through its Bureau of Nonformal Education, and with the support of agencies involved in the Eradication of illiteracy (EOI) from the private and government sectors, will provide directions for programs and activities that will highlight accomplishments towards EOI.

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

Done in the City of Manila, this 25th day of AUGUST in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety three.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

By the President:

(Sgd.) TEOFISTO T. GUINGONA, JR.
Executive Secretary

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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