Article V. Central Organization

Section 1. The National Congress shall be called and convened by the Central Committee every five years, unless it is deemed necessary to hold it later or earlier. If a majority of regional Party Committees formally requests that the congress be held, then the Central Committee shall accede to the request.

The announcement of the holding of the National Congress shall be made at least one month in advance. The number of delegates and the method of their election by the lower Party organizations or selection by lower Party organs shall be decided by the Central Committee.

Section 2. The power and functions of the national Congress shall be as follows:

a. to discuss, ratify, review or amend the Program and Constitution

b. to decide upon the political line of the Party

c. to elect the members and candidate-members of the Central Committee and other central organs after determining the appropriate size of membership in each organ

d. to receive, discuss and endorse reports of the Central Committee and other central organs; and

e. to create central organs other than the existing organs, if necessary.

Section 3. Between national congresses, the Central Committee shall lead the entire work of the Party, implement the decisions of the National Congress, make current decisions and solve current problems, establish Party organs and lead their activities, direct and allocate Party cadres and attend promptly to appeals from lower Party organizations and individual members in cases of disciplinary action.

Section 4. The Central Committee at its Plenum shall elect the Political Bureau, the Executive Committee, the General Secretariat, the Chairman of the Central Committee, the First Vice Chairman, and other secretaries of the Central Committee.

a. The Political Bureau shall exercise the power and functions of the Central Committee between plenums.

b. The Executive Committee shall act on political and administrative matters in accordance with established poli cies and standing decisions of the Central Committee and the Political Bureau.

c. The General Secretariat of the Central Committee shall take charge of the daily administration, routine activities of the Party and other work delegated by the Executive Committee.

The number of members and candidate-members of the Political Bureau, the Executive Committee and the General Secretariat shall be determined by the Central Committee. Vacancies occurring shall be filled ordinarily by candidate-members.

Section 5. The Central Committee in plenum or through the Political Bureau or Executive Committee, shall form and lead such special organs as the Military Commission, the United Front Commission, the National Finance Commission, the higher Party school (The Revolutionary School of Mao Zedong Thought) and central publications as well as the General Secretariat with its organization, education, international and other departments.

Section 6. The Central Committee shall form interregional commissions as staff organs for supervising contiguous regions. These commissions shall derive their powers and functions from the Central Committee.

Section 7. The Plenum of the Central Committee shall be convened once every six months by the Chairman of Political Bureau. However, the Political Bureau or a majority of the Central Committee may decide to hold it earlier or later. Members and candidate-members of the Central Committee shall attend the plenum with candidate-members having speaking rights but no voting rights.

Section 8. The Chairman of the Central Committee shall serve as the principal ideological and political leader of the Party and as such make the appropriate ideological and political pronouncements; preside over the National Congress and meetings of the Central Committee, Political Bureau and Executive Committee; direct the central organs under the Central Committee, including the General Secretariat; be the Chairman of the Military Commission and Commander-in-Chief of the New People's Army; and act as the chief representative of the Party in external relations, domestic and international.

Section 9. The Chairman of the Central Committee may delegate his authority and functions to the First Vice Chairman and the other Vice Chairmen. In case of the incapacity or the absence of the Chairman of the Central Committee from the Philippines for one month or more, the First Vice-Chairman shall assume the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee and shall exercise the power and duties of the Chairman within the Philippines.

Section 10. All central staff organs are under obligation to refer promptly to the Central Committee through its Executive Committee and Chairman any new initiative of major significance and any matter which is potentially or actually controversial.

In case of any contradiction between a central staff organ and another or with any territorial leading organ, the two sides are under obligation to refer promptly the controversial matter to the Central Committee through its Executive Committee and Chairman for immediate resolution.

Preamble
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