Building Permits for American War Memorials

Executive Order No. 313 is issued by the President of the Philippines under the President’s powers “vested… by law.”
No building permit for the erection of a war memorial or monument in any place in the Philippines may be issued in favor of a covered American applicant without prior action from a specified U.S. body.
The President’s directive creates a mandatory precondition for permit issuance for covered projects.

Executive Order No. 313 covers any American national or American association seeking a building permit.
Executive Order No. 313 covers the erection of war memorials or monuments anywhere within the Philippines.
The geographical coverage is nationwide: the prohibition applies to “any place in the Philippines.”

Executive Order No. 313 prohibits the issuance of any covered building permit unless there is a previous recommendation from the American Battle Monuments Commission of the United States Government.
The recommendation must be secured before any building permit is issued to the American national or association.
The permit issuance depends on obtaining this prior recommendation.

Executive Order No. 313 requires demolition or remodelling of any war memorial or monument constructed in violation of the order.
The demolition or remodelling must be carried out at the expense of the builder.
The demolition or remodelling must be done in accordance with the order of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Executive Order No. 313 makes the American Battle Monuments Commission the operative authority that issues the controlling directive for demolition or remodelling.
The U.S. commission’s action functions both as a pre-permit recommendation requirement and as the basis for post-violation demolition/remodelling instructions.
Executive Order No. 313 ties compliance with construction and enforcement outcomes to the commission’s determinations.