Exchange Visitor Program - A.O No. 242

FURTHER RECONSTITUTING THE EXCHANGE VISITORS PROGRAM COMMITTEE AND REDEFINING ITS FUNCTIONS

WHEREAS, there is a need for the government to strengthen the educational, scientific, and technological capabilities of the country through inter-country exchange of knowledge and expertise;

WHEREAS, the governments of the Philippines and the United States of America entered into an agreement to implement the Exchange Visitors Program (EVP) in 1948;

WHEREAS, the EVP Committee was created through Administrative No. 191 dated 3 April 1956 as amended by Administrative Order No. 210 dated 21 March 1970, to coordinate Philippine participation in the EVP;

WHEREAS, there is a need to expand the membership and review the functions of the EVP Committee to make it more responsive to local and international developments affecting the country;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the law, do hereby order:

SECTION. 1. Reconstitution of the Exchange Visitors Program Committee. The EVP Committee is hereby reconstituted to be composed of the heads of the following Department/Offices or their duly designated representatives with at least a rank of a Director:

SEC. 2. Functions. The Committee shall perform the following functions:

• Promulgate rules and regulations to implement the Philippine participation to the Program;
• Establish linkages with concerned institutions in the United States which could provide educational and training opportunities for Filipino professionals;
• Provide information and advice to concerned government and private institutions in the Philippines on available training programs;
• Screen, process and evaluate applications of prospective participants to the Program;
• Endorse qualified applicants to appropriate United States host agencies;
• Coordinate and conduct pre-departure and on-site orientation sessions for the participants;
• Develop proposals for incentives schemes and re-entry programs for the participants to facilitate their return to the Philippines to share the skills and expertise they acquired overseas;
• Conduct continuing monitoring and evaluation in compliance with the terms of the program;
• Establish an effective management information system on EVP growth opportunities in the Philippines, and available training programs being offered under the EVP;
• Formulate and recommend policies to the President to ensure the maximum benefits of the Programs to the country;
• To collect such administrative fees and charges as may be necessary, just and reasonable to cover the full cost of services rendered consistent with the terms of E.O. 159, dated 23 February 1994, and DOF-DBM Joint Circular No. 02-94 dated 14 November 1994; and
• Perform other functions as may be required by the President.

SEC. 3. Technical and Secretariat Support. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) shall provide secretariat support to the Committee and shall assist the Committee in coordinating with appropriate public and private sector representatives on matters pertinent to the Program.

The member-agencies shall designate a specific unit within their respective agencies to render continuing support to the EVP and extend internal resources necessary to carry out the functions of the Committee.

The Committee is authorized to call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, including government owned and controlled corporations, for such assistance as it may used in the discharge of its functions.

SEC. 4. Funding. Funds necessary to immediately carry out the provisions of this Administrative Order shall be sourced by the Department of Budget and Management from available sources, upon request by the secretariat. Funding requirement in the succeeding fiscal years shall be provided for in the budgetary appropriations of the member-agencies of the Committee.

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. All orders, issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Administrative Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 6. Effectivity. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 17th day of January in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.

Original Signed:

FIDEL V. RAMOS
President

By the President:

(sgd) RUBEN D.TORRES
Executive Secretary