[ Commonwealth Act No. 683, September 25, 1945 ]

AN ACT TO ORGANIZE THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN RELATIONS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress Assembled:SECTION 1. There is hereby created the Office of Foreign Relations which shall be under the direct control and supervision of the President of the Philippines.SEC. 2. The Office of Foreign Relations shall have a permanent head to be known as Commissioner of Foreign Relations with the rank of an Undersecretary of Department and such assistants as the President of the Philippines may deem necessary to appoint for the proper conduct of the office.SEC. 3. The President of the Philippines is hereby authorized to determine the details of the organization of the Office of Foreign Relations, to fix the compensation of the officers thereof, to employ such American technical advisers as he may deem necessary during the first years of the organization and to provide for the training of personnel for foreign service.SEC. 4. The Commissioner of the Office of Foreign Relations, his assistants, and all other officers and employees of the staff and trainees for foreign service shall be selected for merit and fitness under rules issued by the President; and they shall hold office during good behavior.SEC. 5. The Office of Foreign Relations shall take charge of all matters affecting the relations of the Government of the Philippines with the United States and foreign nations, and such other matters relating to international relations which the President of the Philippines may consider proper to be placed under its charge.SEC. 6. The President shall, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments, appoint delegates to represent the Philippines in the United Nations. They shall hold office at the pleasure of the President.SEC.7. Upon the declaration of the independence of the Philippines, the powers and functions of this office shall automatically be taken over by the Department in charge of foreign affairs of the Philippines with a Department Secretary at its head.SEC. 8. The sum of two hundred and fifty thousand pesos is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the Philippine Treasury not otherwise appropriated for the payment of salaries and other expenses necessary for the operation of the Office of Foreign Relations and training of foreign service personnel.SEC. 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.Approved, September 25, 1945.

Source: Supreme Court E-Library