Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1365)
The primary purpose of Presidential Decree No. 1365 is to create the "Rural Workers Office" within the Department of Labor to protect, promote, and develop the welfare of rural workers.
The Rural Workers Office is placed under the Department of Labor and is under the direct supervision and control of the Secretary of Labor.
The Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Director of the Rural Workers Office are appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Labor.
The powers and functions include exercising supervision over social amelioration programs in the sugar industry, recommending social amelioration programs for rural workers, initiating socio-economic research, processing projects, supervising implementation of projects, engaging in income generating projects, and providing special assistance for organization of rural workers unions and cooperatives, among others.
The Special Project Fund is constituted in the name of the Secretary of Labor and is funded by P0.10 per picul of sugar produced as originally decreed by Presidential Decree 788 and all fees and charges collected by the Rural Workers Office under the social amelioration program.
The Fund is used to finance socio-economic projects for the benefit of rural workers. A portion may also be set aside for lending purposes to qualified rural workers borrowers.
The Commission on Audit is authorized to periodically audit the expenditures charged against the Special Project Fund.
Civil service eligibility requirements and OCPC positions and salary schedules do not apply to personnel and positions of the Office declared highly technical.
The Secretary of Labor supervises the Rural Workers Office, appoints its technical staff on recommendation, approves social amelioration programs, establishes regional offices, issues implementing rules and regulations, and oversees the budget appropriation.
Presidential Decree No. 1365 took effect immediately upon its signing on May 1, 1978.