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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Proclamation No. 245, February 15, 2000 ]

DECLARING OCTOBER 16 TO 22 AS PHILIPPINE “HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WEEK”

WHEREAS, the first Philippine Assembly was created under the Philippine Bill of 1902 and its members were elected in their representative districts around the country, and convened on October 16, 1907;

WHEREAS, on October 16, 1916, pursuant to the provisions of the Philippine Autonomy Act, popularly known as the Jones Law of 1916, the Philippine Legislature was established, serving as the legislative body of the Philippines until it was succeeded by the National Assembly during the Philippine Commonwealth (1935-1946);

WHEREAS, when Philippine independence was granted in 1946, the bicameral Philippine Congress was re-established, sharing co-equal governmental powers with the executive and the judiciary;

WHEREAS, the history of the Philippine House of Representatives can be traced from the time the Philippine Assembly convened on October 16, 1907;

WHEREAS, during its more than nine decades of existence, the House of Representatives has always been mindful of such primary role of Congress as written in our Constitution and as defined by the rules and tradition of this great deliberative body;

WHEREAS, the history of the House of Representatives is replete with an impressive record of accomplishments, landmark pieces of legislation, organizational and political restructuring and other initiatives and thrusts for national development;

WHEREAS, in recognition of the pivotal role played by the House of Representatives in nation building through the enactment of significant and meaningful laws, there is a need to institutionalize the commemoration of October 16, 1907 as the creation of the first Philippine Assembly of elected district representatives, now known as the Philippine House of Representatives;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare October 16 to 22 as “Philippine House of Representatives Week.”

All departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, local government units, government owned or controlled corporations, the private sector, and the public at large are hereby enjoined to actively support the activities and programs for the Philippine House of Representatives Week.1aшphi1

Done in the City of Manila, this 15Th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand.

(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA

By the President:

RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary

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