Creation of Rizal Centennial Fund Committee

Legal basis and referenced measures

Republic Act No. 1427 authorizes and directs the Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission to organize and undertake a national fund campaign.
The fund campaign under Republic Act No. 1427 is for financing the construction of a National Cultural Shrine and other memorials provided in the act.
Executive Order No. 52 (series of 1956) is cited as part of the objectives the committee’s campaign must enable.

Policy, purpose, and campaign basis

The President creates the committee to carry out a nationwide campaign for voluntary contributions “from all elements of our population.”
The campaign’s purpose is to raise funds that supplement existing government appropriations.
The campaign is designed to enable the Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission to carry out its objectives under Republic Act No. 1427 and Executive Order No. 52 (series of 1956).
The committee sets the campaign goal at a minimum amount to finance the specified centennial and memorial projects.

Composition and officers of committee

The committee is composed of national department heads and named members with defined roles.
The Secretary of Education serves as Chairman.
The Secretary of Finance serves as Vice-Chair.
Mr. Arsenio N. Luz, Consultant of the Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission, serves as a Member (listed as “General C” in the text).
The committee includes the following members and officers, with the indicated offices/roles:
- The Social Welfare Administrator (Member).
- The Undersecretary of Labor.
- The Deputy Administrator of Economic Coordination.
- The Administrator, Agricultural Credit and Cooperative Financing Administration.
- The Director of Public Schools.
- The Director of Private Schools.
- The Director of Public Works.
- The President, Philippine National Bank.
- The Chairman, Rehabilitation Finance Corporation.
- Commissioner Sofronio C. Quimson of Civil Affairs, Malacañang.
- The President, University of the Philippines.
- Mr. Vicente Lontok, Member of the Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission.
- Mr. Ramon V. del Rosario, Member of the Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission.
- Dr. Albino Z. SyCip, Chairman of the Board of Directors & General Manager of the China Banking Corporation.
- The President, Philippine Rotary Club.
- The President, Manila Lions Club.
- The President, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.
- The President, Philippine Chamber of Industries.
- The President, Junior Chamber of Commerce.
- The President, Federation of Women’s Clubs.
- The President, Philippine League of Women Voters.
- Mr. Angel M. Tesoro, Assistant Executive Director, Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission, as Executive Officer.

Campaign goal and covered projects

The committee sets a campaign goal at a minimum amount to supplement existing government appropriations for the following projects:
- Construction of a National Cultural Shrine dedicated to Dr. Jose Rizal, preferably on a single site, composed of:
  - a National Theatre;
  - a National Museum;
  - a National Library.
- Improvement of the Rizal Monument at the Luneta and beautification and landscaping of the surrounding areas.
- Rehabilitation of the Jose Rizal Cell at Fort Santiago.
- Erection of a grand monument in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal in the Capitol of the Philippines in Diliman.
- Acquisition, locally and abroad, of all available Rizaliana materials, such as writings and works of arts about Dr. Jose Rizal and by the hero.
- Procurement of Rizaliana relics and materials available locally and abroad.
- Translation and printing in the National Language, English, and other major dialects of the Philippines of:
  - Noli Me Tangere;
  - El Filibusterismo;
  - and other works of Dr. Jose Rizal, and works of others about him considered necessary for the proper understanding of the meaning of his life and labors.
- Preparation of the general program of Centennary of Dr. Jose Rizal during the week preceding but including June 19, 1961.
- Initiation of holding a National Congress in connection with the centennary, inviting as official guests foreign individuals known for their love of Rizal and his works.
- Arrangement for the issuance of commemorative stamps of the centennary.
- Creation of Jose Rizal Medals to commemorate the centennary and awarded to persons and associations having juridical personality who contributed to the understanding and propagation of Rizal’s teachings.
- National contest to select a popular but simple biography of Rizal in English and the National Language, with translation into other major dialects of the Philippines.
- Establishment, as far as may be possible, of Rizal Centers in capitals of provinces and chartered cities in the Philippines containing a working library and museum on Rizal.

Nationwide execution and reporting duties

The committee shall organize, initiate, and carry out a nationwide campaign for voluntary contributions.
The committee may, in its discretion and judgment, organize provincial, city and municipal and barrio campaign committees.
The committee uses Executive Order No. 163 (series of 1956) as a guide when organizing subordinate campaign committees.
The committee adopts planning and pertinent details related to the nationwide campaign and the execution of the campaign.
After adopting and executing the campaign plan, the committee reports the overall program for the campaign to the Commission.

Discretionary powers in fundraising organization

The committee retains discretion and judgment in structuring campaign operations at the provincial, city, municipal, and barrio levels.
The committee controls the planning and execution details for the nationwide campaign.
The committee exercises discretion in the organization of campaign committees as supportive mechanisms for nationwide fund-raising.

Effectivity and transitory/closing clause

The order is effective upon issuance and is dated January 02, 1957.
The closing clause states the order is “done” in the City of Manila on January 02, 1957, marking the eleventh year of the Independence of the Philippines.