SEC. 22,. Preference in Employment. The Executive Director shall, for the extent practicable, appoint deserving members of the northern cultural communities to appropriate positions in the Office even if such appointees do not possess the required civil service eligibility pursuant to Section 23 of Presidential Decree No. 807, in consonance with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1414; provided, however, that priority consideration shall be given to qualified members of the northern cultural communities who possess civil service eligibility; and provided, further, that in the filling up of positions in the approved position structure and staffing pattern of the Office, preference shall be given to qualified and eligible personnel of the former Bureau of National Minorities. SEC. 23. Regional Office, Field offices,' Sub-offices. The Office hereby authorized to establish, operate and maintain Regional offices in appropriate administrative regions of the ~ountry, each of which shall '... headed by a Regional Director. A Regional Office shall have, within administrative region, the following functions: Implement laws, rules, projects of the Office; and Provide efficient communities; (d regulations, effective policies, service to Coordinate with regional offices in the administrati"e region; of ministries, Coordinate units; Perform with local such other government functions programs and plans, the northern offices as may be provided is such be its cultural and agencies by law. 4 The Office offices and appropriateOffice. _.SE~~ 24. is likewise sub-offices feasible, authorized as may be provided by law, maintain field and service centers and whenever necessary,and the func~ions of which sha~l be determined by the Cont~acts A~reem~nts ~ Ob!igations. .~ll existing le~i_timate cont:ract:s, agreement.s, ana otner obligations entered into or incurrea by the defunct Office of Muslim Affairs and Cultural Communities and other affected offices, as maybe pertaining to such powers and fu~ctions which may have been succeeded to by the Office, shall continue to be in force, subject, insofar as the law may allow, to review by the Office and to subsequent legal action as may be proper, just and fair. SEC. 25. New Structure and Pattern. The new structure and staffing pattern of the OffICe shallbe-appro~ed and prescribed by the Executi~e Director within one hundred twenty (120) days from the appro~al of this Executive Order and the authorized positions created thereunder shall be filled with regular appointments by him or by the President as the case may be. Those inc-umbents of the defunct Offic.e of Muslim Affairs and Cultural Communities whose positions are not included therein or who are not appointedshall);>~ deemed separated fr-Cm the seJ:Vice'.-Those g-~p'arated fLUm~the ser~ice shall recei~e the retirement benefits to which they may be entitled under existing laws, rules and regulations. Otherwise, they shall be paid the equivalent of one-month basic salary for every yellr of Aervice or /!<1uivl\lent neAreAt frAction the~cof favorable to them on the bllsis of the highest salary received, but in no case

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