Proclamation No. 198, s. 1937

MALACAÑANG PALACE
Manila

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

Proclamation No. 198

PUBLISHING THE INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES DEFINING THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE EXCHANGE OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE AUTHORITIES OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES, ON THE ONE HAND, AND FOREIGN CONSULAR OFFICIALS IN THE PHILIPPINES AND AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICERS, ON THE OTHER HAND.

Whereas, under section two (a), subsection ten, of the Tydings-McDuffie Law, Public Act Numbered One hundred twenty-seven, Seventy-third Congress, approved March twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred and thirty-four, and section one, subsection ten of the Ordinance appended to the Constitution of the Philippines, pending the final and complete withdrawal of the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines, the foreign affairs of the Commonwealth of the Philippines shall be under the direct supervision and control of the United States; and

Whereas, by virtue of the above provisions, the Department of State of the United States has defined the procedure to be followed in the exchange of communications between the authorities of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, on the one hand, and foreign consular officers in the Philippines and American diplomatic and consular officers, on the other hand, as follows:

"I. Foreign consular officers stationed in the Philippines may appropriately address and appeal to the local authorities, throughout the extent of their consular districts, for the purpose- of protecting the rights and interests of their nationals. Should the local authorities fail to give satisfaction, appeal may be made directly to the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands who should bring the matter to the attention of the President of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. If that action should fail to effect a satisfactory adjustment, the High Commissioner will then refer the case to the Department of State and will so inform the foreign consular officer concerned. It is suggested that written communications addressed by foreign consular officers to the local authorities of the Commonwealth Government in Manila he prepared in duplicate and a copy forwarded to the High Commissioner; and that such communications ad­dressed to officials of the Commonwealth Government outside of Manila be prepared in triplicate, one copy to be sent to the High Commissioner and one copy to be sent to the President of the Commonwealth. Replies by officials of the Commonwealth Government to communications from foreign consular officers should be transmitted through the President of the Commonwealth, and a copy of each reply should be sent to the High Commissioner by the President of the Commonwealth.

"II. Subjects of a political character and questions relating to exequaturs, visits of foreign war vessels and airplanes, and other formal matters should be dealt with as usual through diplomatic channels, i. e., through the Embassy or Legation in Washington of the country concerned.

"III. Official communications from the Commonwealth authorities to American diplomatic and consular officers should be sent to the High Commissioner for transmission over his signature to the diplomatic or consular officers concerned. American diplomatic and consular officers are being instructed to address official communications for the attention of the Commonwealth authorities to the High Commissioner for transmission."

Now, therefore, I, Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Philippines, do hereby publish the above instructions of the Department of State of the United States, for the information and guidance of all concerned.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Commonwealth of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done at the City of Manila, this sixth day of September, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and thirty-seven, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the second.

MANUEL L. QUEZON
President of the Philippines

By the President:

ELPIDIO QUIRINO
Secretary of the Interior