White House Press Release, Executive Order Number 9616

IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 14, 1945. EXECUTIVE ORDER RELATING TO THE UNITED STATES HIGH COMPISSIONER TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS VHEREAS it is necessary to provide in the Philippine Islands in the interim before independence the most efficient administration of United States civil authority and to provide for the coordination of the activities of departments and other agencies of the United States Government operating in the Philippine Islands; and THEREAS the heavy damages to property and life, the disruption of trade, commerce and finance, and the political and social difficulties which surround the government of the Common- wealth of the Philippine Islands as a result of the war are matters of deep concern which require the attention and assistance of the United States Government for the reestablishment of orderly civil government, and for the relief and rehabilitation of the people; and WHEREAS section 7(4) of the Philippine Independence Act of March 24, 1934 (48 Stat. 461) as amended, provides that the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands "shall be the representative of the President of the United States NARA in the Philippine Islands, and shall be recognized as such by the government of the Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands, by 2 the commanding officer of the military forces of the United States, and by all civil officials of the United States in the Philippine Islands," and further, that, "He shall perform such additional duties and functions as may be delegated to him from time to time by the President under the provisions of this Act;" NOW THEREFORE, by virtue of and pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the United States, and as Prosident of the United States, it is ordered as follows: 1. Executive Order No. 9245 of September 16, 1942, is hereby repealed and the functions, powers, and duties of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands, to- gether with the personnel, records, property, and funds of the office of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands are transferred from the Secretary of the Interior to the said United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands. 2. All powers and authority of the President in respect to the Philippine Islands and the government of the Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands, its branches, subdivisions, and instrumentalities which may be lawfully so delegated are hereby delegated to the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands. 3. The United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands in the Philippine Islands and the Secretary of the Interior in the United States shall be responsible for the representation, administration and coordination of the authority and policies of the United States Government in respect to the Philippine Islands. They shall recommend to the President and to the chief officers of departments and agencies of the United States Government the procedures and policies which in their opinions may be desirable or necessary for the welfare of the people of the Philippine Islands, and for the protection and advancement of the national policies of the United States in the Philippine Islands. 4. The functions, powers and duties of the offices, missions and other agencies of civil departments and agencies of the United States Government represented or operating in the Philippine Islands shall be exercised under the supervision of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands and such offices, missions and other agencies shall be decmed to be attached to his office.