Creation of Public-Private Sector Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness

October 5, 2006

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 571

CREATING THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR TASK FORCE ON PHILIPPINE COMPETITIVENESS

WHEREAS, it is the collective desire of the government and the business sector to improve international competitiveness to strengthen our industry, agriculture and service sectors, create jobs, and increase incomes as we move up the value chain;

WHEREAS, the holding of a National Competitiveness Summit aims to immediately address the critical problems on business efficiency, infrastructure, and governance, which are contributing to the decline in the country's international competitiveness;

WHEREAS, the implementation of an Action Agenda requires efficient coordination and joint responsibility between the government and the private sector under an empowered national body;

WHEREAS, the creation of a Public-Private Sector Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness is broadly supported by the private sector, which is keen to work closely with government to encourage competitiveness and pursue meaningful and effective legal, regulatory, institutional, procedural, and other appropriate reforms;

WHEREAS, Section 20, Chapter 7, Title I, Book III of EO No. 292 grants the President residual powers to reorganize the administrative structure of the Executive Branch of government.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Public-Private Sector Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness. — There is hereby created a Public-Private Sector Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness, hereinafter referred to as the Task Force, which shall be attached to the Office of the President.

SECTION 2. Mandate. — The Task Force will promote and develop national competitiveness by seeing to the implementation of the Action Agenda for Competitiveness, hereinafter referred to as the Action Agenda.

SECTION 3. Composition. — The Task Force shall be composed of the Department Secretaries of Trade and Industry (DTI),Finance (DOF),Transportation and Communications (DOTC),Education (DepEd),and the Director General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA),and three (3) representatives from the business sector, including the Senior Advisor on International Competitiveness, one (1) representative from policy research institutions, and one (1) representative from civil society.

The Secretary of Trade and Industry and one (1) representative from the business sector shall be Co-Chairs of the Task Force.

SECTION 4. Powers and Functions. — The Task Force shall exercise the following powers and functions in order to carry out its mandate:

(a) Coordinate, monitor, and assess implementation of the Action Agenda and, when necessary, recommend appropriate adjustments thereon in the light of changing conditions in both the domestic and international environment.

(b) On behalf of the President, direct specific departments and agencies to attend to the bottlenecks and problems constraining competitiveness in any of the areas mentioned in the Action Agenda, and require the concerned Secretaries, to deliver progress report(s) on the actions/initiatives, taken to resolve these areas of concern.

(c) Recommend to Congress any proposed legislation that would contribute to the national competitiveness.

(d) Coordinate with Local Government Units (LGUs) through the respective leagues for the formulation of standards and policies to be observed by Local Government Units (LGUs) in order to ensure that plans and budgets of LGUs are supportive of the thrusts of the Action Agenda, and ensure optimal allocation of expenditures.

(e) Coordinate with concerned agencies for the generation of resources, both governmental and non-governmental, local, national and international, as may be appropriate, in and for the development, marketing, growth and competitiveness of the Philippine economy as set by the Action Agenda.

(f) Perform such other powers and functions as may be necessary, incidental or proper to its mandate, or as may be assigned from time to time by the President.

SECTION 5. Secretariat. — The Task Force shall organize a Secretariat which shall report directly to it and shall be managed by two (2) Directors for Operations, one representing the Public Sector and the other representing the Private Sector (funded by the private sector).

SECTION 6. Coordination. — The Task Force shall regularly coordinate with industry/trade associations, local and foreign chambers of commerce and the Senior Advisor on International Competitiveness to ensure the competitiveness of Philippine industries.

They may be invited as resource persons during meetings of the Task Force to carry out its mandate. EDHTAI

SECTION 7. Funding. — The activities and operational expenses of the Task Force shall be funded jointly by budgetary appropriations from the government and from private sector contributions. To carry out the provisions of this Order, an initial allocation of Ten Million Pesos (P10,000,000.00) for the necessary operating expenses of the Task Force shall come from funds of the Department of Trade and Industry. Subsequent funding for the Task Force may be incorporated in the budget proposal of the Department of Trade and Industry, subject to existing accounting and auditing laws, and procedures.

The private sector shall fund its own participation in the work of the Task. Force. They are encouraged to secure their own funding through grants and other contributions from foreign and local private sector counterparts, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Donations for the operations of Task Force shall be received, accounted for, and disbursed in accordance with pertinent and existing laws, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause.— All Executive Orders, other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity.— This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 5th day of October, in the year of Our Two Thousand and Six.