PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 2021
RECOGNIZING THE ADVENTIST INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES AS AN" EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER, GRANTING IT CERTAIN PREROGATIVES CONDUCIVE TO ITS GROWTH AS SUCH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Philippines is committed to a future which is closely tied with the future of Asia, and is annually attracting tens of thousands of international students of the region to its institutions of higher learning;
WHEREAS, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, after seven decades of operating educational institutions from the elementary to the graduate level in the Philippines, is taking the steps to establish a non-stock, non-profit educational institution under existing laws of the Philippines, for the purpose of offering high quality education at the graduate level uniquely designed to meet the rapidly growing needs of the Church for highly qualified personnel in all of the Asia-Pacific area;
WHEREAS, since 1967 the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been offering graduate level education with the proper authorization from the Philippine government, and has served with some limitations the needs of the Philippines and some other countries from the Asia-Pacific area, thereby gaining invaluable international education;
WHEREAS, the Seventh-day Adventist Church wishes at this time to operate in the Philippines and educational institution of full international character and dimension that would enable it to more effectively meet; its growing needs in all the Asia-Pacific area, under the name of "Adventist International Institute of Advance Studies, Inc." (AIIAS);
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, president of
the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order:
SECTION 1. The "Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies" as a graduate educational institution of international character shall be classified and treated by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports as a foreign school of special character, with an international student body, faculty, management composition and control, funding support, programs, curricular offereings, calendar, fee structure, and academic standards.
SEC. 2. Scholars, trainees, participants, students, fellows or professors who come to the Philippines under the auspices of the AIIAS shall be allowed entry as special non-immigrants under Section 47 (a) (2) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940', as amended, free from the payment of visa and immigration fees; provided, however, that such persons are holders of valid passports, are otherwise admissible, and there is no derogatory information against them.
SEC. 3. The Minister of Education, Culture and Sports in coordination with the other Government agencies concerned, shall if issue the necessary implementing rules to carry into effect the purpose of this Decree.
SEC. 4. All laws, decrees, orders, rules or regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 31st day of January, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-six.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA
Presidential Executive Assistant