WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION REGIONAL COMMITrEE Eighth Session Hong Kong 5-11 September 1957 Agenda. Item 11
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC WP/RC8/5 9- August 1957 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
ACCOMMODATION FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC REGIONAL OFFICE
(Report by the Regional Director) 1
INTRODUCTION
At the seventh session of the Regional Committee, the Regional Director reported .on the progress that had been made up-to-date .on the question .of .obtaining permanent accommodation for the Western Pacific Regional Office. At that sessicn, the Regional Committee adopted the following resolution: l "The Regional Committee, Having considered the' proposal of the Government of the Philippines for providing accommodation for the Western Pacific Regional Office as reported by the Regional Director (Document wp/RC7/6), 1.
EXPRESSES to the Goverrunent of the Philippines its appreciation for this generous .offer;
2. ~UESTS the Regional Director t,o a.sk the Director-General to report the proposal to the Executive Board at its nineteenth session and to the Tenth World Health Assembly, in order that the final decision on the proposal may be taken. II
In accordance with the a.bove resolution, the Director-General subtnitted a report to the Tenth World Health Assembly Which represented the negotiations up t·o that time. The Tenth World Health Assembly a.dopted the following resolutlon: 2 "The Tenth World Hea.lth Assembly,
Having considered resolution EB19.R27 on Accommodation for the Regional Office for the Western Pacific adopted by the Executive Board at its nineteenth session; Having considered the report of the Director~oeneral and the exChange of communica.tions between the Director-General and the Government of the Philippines on this subject; /Cognizant of the ••• 1 Resolution wp/RC7.R9 2 Resolution WHAlO.28
wp/Rc8/5 Page 2
Cognizant of the urgent need for improved accommodation for the Regional Office for the Western Pacific; Recognizing that the envisaged new building would provide some office space for the United Nations and the other specialized agencies stationed in Manila; Considering that subsequent to the nineteenth session of the Executive Board the Government of the Philippines has amended its offer; and Considering further that certain provisions of this amended offer still remain too restrictive;
I. 1.
ACCEPTS, subject to the provisions of para.graph 2 below, the offer of ' (i) to grant to the Organization the free use of the land on which the new building is to be erected; and (ii) to contribute as an outright donation P. 500 000 for the construction of the building;
the Government of the Philippines
DECIDES that this acceptance is subject to the Organization being accorded satisfactory conditions of occupancy and to the following particular condition being met: 2.
'The Organization to receive from the Government of the Philippines the undertaking that, if the building is reassigned to the Government, the Organization be equitably compensated on the basis of the book value of the building' ;
3. REQUESTS the Director-General to negotiate with the Government of the Philippines to obtain the satisfactory conditions of occupancy referred to in paragraph 2; and 4. BEQUESTS the Director-General in consultation with the Chairman of the Executive Board, and after _the satisfactory conclusion of the negotiations requested in paragraph 3, to execute an agreement with the Government relating to the new accommodation. II. 1. AUTHORIZES the establishment of a building fund to be maintained notw! thstanding Financial Regulati~:Q.-4.; until cocpletion of-the construction project; 2. DECIDES to credit to the fund the contribution -of the Government to the Philippines and any voluntary contributions towards the cost of construction of the building made by Member States in response to the invitation in paragraph 3 of resolution EB19.R27;
3. AUTHORIZES the Director-General to advance as needed from the Working Capi tal. Fund such amounts as may be necessary to meet the cost of the . construction not covered by the contributions credited 1.mder paragraph 2 above up to a maximum of $ 250 000 and to credit such advances to the building fund; and 4. APPROVES the Director-General's plan for reimbursing the Working Capital Fund for the advances made under the provisions of paragraph II.;." /2 DEVELOPMENTS •••
wp/Rc8/5 Page 3 2 DEVEIDHalNTS DURING THE .YEAR
On the basis that negotia~ions were progressing satisfactorily, an architect was chosen to draw up preliminary plans for a.ccommodation for the Regional Office taking into consideration certain criteria laid down in a. document kno~ as "Principles of Design" and that the total cost would not be more than Pesos 1 000 000. The architect has completed his preliminary drawings which have been . submitted to Geneva. for approval and, on the basis that final agreement will be reached with the Government, the architect is proceeding to make the 'Working drawings. It is expected that these will be completed in September and that construction will start some time late in 1957 in order that the building might be ready for occupancy in the later part of 1958. The Assembly resolution raised certain conditions with regard to the draft Agreement submitted by the Philippine Government and these have been negotia~ed to the sa.tisfaction of both the Organization and the Department of Foreign. Affairs of the Philippines. A draft agreement is presently before the Ca.binet • If, during the meeting of the Regional COmmittee, the Agreement is approved by the Cabinet, then the Committee will be informed a.ccordingly.
3
STATUS OF CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE WPRO BUILDING FUND
The governments have been generous in their response to the Organizatio1\' s request for voluntary contribution towards the building and the following contributions have been received or pledged as of 31 August 1957: Brunei China.
ST$ 10 000 Pesos 100 000 £893.16.11d
Fiji Hong Kong Laos Netherlands Philippines Sarawak Singapore
HK$ 50 000 08$ 5000 08$ 10 000 Pesos
500 000
ST$ ~5 000 ST$ 30 000.