Amending P.D. No. 926 Re: Modified Organizational Structure for Bicol River Basin Program

June 11, 1978

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1553

AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NUMBER NINE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX ENTITLED "MODIFYING THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE BICOL RIVER BASIN PROGRAM, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFORE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES", INCLUDING SORSOGON PROVINCE AND THE EFFICIENT COORDINATION, SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF THE BICOL RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

WHEREAS, it is a policy of the Government to promote the integrated development of agriculture, natural resources, infrastructure and social services in underdeveloped regions to solidify the economic and social structure of our society;

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 805 reconstituted the Cabinet Coordinating Committee on Integrated Rural Development Projects constituted under Letter of Instructions No. 99; aisa dc

WHEREAS, an integrated rural development program has been adopted for the Bicol River Basin;

WHEREAS, the success of the program requires that the management and planning of the basin area can be comprehensive, decentralized, and framed within regional and national plans;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to enhance the organizational framework and systems capability for planning and monitoring of this integrated multi-project area development program.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS; President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, in order to insure the success of this program, do hereby order and decree the following:

SECTION 1.  Section 2 of the Presidential Decree No. 926 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 2.  Cabinet Committee Coordinator for the Program. — The Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communication shall be the Cabinet Committee Coordinator for the Program and shall act for the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee in all Administrative matters, in accordance with the broad policies and guidelines established by the Cabinet Committee. As Cabinet Committee Coordinator he shall have the following powers and functions: cd i

a.  Oversee the coordination of the planning and implementation of the program;

b.  Review the Program's consolidated plans, budgets and work programs and recommended approval by the Cabinet Committee;

c.  Arrange and/or negotiate with local and foreign financial institutions, subject to approval by the Cabinet Committee for the funding of rural development projects in the Basin; aisa dc

d.  Approved requests of the implementing departments and agencies for budget releases for projects in accordance with the consolidated plans, budgets and work programs approved by the Cabinet Committee, Provided, That such approval, shall be subject to the availability of funds in accordance with the existing budgetary policy, laws, rules and regulations which shall be secured from the President;

e.  Appoint the Program Director and heads of major organizational subdivisions of the Program Office;

f.  Bring to the attention of the Cabinet Committee matters that require its urgent consideration;

g.  Call upon any department, bureau, office, instrumentality of any political subdivision of the Government for such assistance that may be needed in achieving the objectives of the Program; cdt

h.  Exercise such other related powers as may be delegated by the Cabinet Committee."

To assist the Cabinet Committee Coordinator in the performance of the above powers and functions, there is hereby created a staff directly under him.

SECTION 2.  Section 3 of Presidential Decree No. 926 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 3.  Creation and Domicile of the Bicol River Bicol Basin Development Program Office. — There is hereby created a Bicol River Basin Development Program Office, hereinafter referred to as the Program Office, which shall be under the supervision of the Cabinet Committee Coordinator, for the purpose of coordinating the planning and implementation of the projects by the implementing departments and agencies at the national and provincial levels. The Program Office shall have its principal office in Camarines Sur. It shall also have a Manila Liaison Office for the purpose of facilitating supportive actions at the national level and such sub-office as may be necessary in any municipality or city within the Program Area.

Unless otherwise decreed, the jurisdiction of the Bicol River Basin Development Program shall encompass all the municipalities and cities of Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon provinces. aisa dc

SECTION 3.  Section 8 of the Presidential Decree No. 926 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 8.  Creation, Composition and Functions of the Program Coordination, Committee. — For the purpose of providing operating policies and guidelines, for the day-to-day operations of the Program Office, there is hereby created a Bicol River Basin Coordination Committee. It shall be composed of the Program Director as Chairman, the National Economic and Development Authority Regional Executive, Director for Region V as Vice-Chairman, with the Governors of Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon, and the designated representatives of the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications, the Regional Directors for Region V of the Department of Local Government and Community Development, Agrarian Reform, Public Highways, Agriculture, Health, Education and Culture, and the National Irrigation Administration, as members."

SECTION 4.  Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, administrative orders; letters of instructions, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with any provision of this Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5.  Effectivity. — This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 11th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Eight.

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 75 No. 4 Page 634 on January 22, 1979.