Establishment of Cabinet Standing Committee

July 17, 1984

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 973

ESTABLISHING A CABINET STANDING COMMITTEE

WHEREAS, under the New Republic, national development shall be pursued with renewed dedication and greater determination through a more efficient, effective and economical government;

WHEREAS, under the Constitution, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet shall be responsible to the Batasang Pambansa for the program of government approved by the President;

WHEREAS, it would be desirable to provide an administrative mechanism to facilitate the work of the Cabinet and expedite action on urgent policy and operational issues;

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the President to delegate authority to act on certain operational matters as he may prescribe in order to expedite action thereon;

WHEREAS, for this purpose, it would therefore be well to establish a smaller group, as a standing committee of the Cabinet, to act on certain matters and issues; and

WHEREAS, under the Presidential Decree No. 1416 as amended, the President is empowered to undertake such organizational and related improvements as may be appropriate in the light of changing circumstances and new developments;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the authority vested in me by Presidential Decree No. 1416 as amended, do hereby order and decree:

SECTION 1. There is hereby created a Cabinet Standing Committee to be composed of the Prime Minister, as chairman; the Deputy Prime Minister, as vice-chairman; and the Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of National Defense, Minister of Justice, Minister of Agriculture and Food, and Director General of the Office of Budget and Management, as members. aTDcAH

SECTION 2. The Cabinet Standing Committee shall convene and act on urgent matters needing immediate resolution, in those cases where there is insufficient time to call the entire Cabinet to a meeting, particularly in between regular meetings of the Cabinet.

In addition, the Cabinet Standing Committee shall provide assistance to the President in the exercise of his powers and functions as he may prescribe. In providing such assistance to the President, the role of the Committee is to provide, collectively as a body, staff advice and support to the President in the management of governmental affairs. For this purpose, the Committee shall (1) take such final action on operational matters and issues as may be delegated to it by the President, and (2) pass upon and review operational matters and issues elevated to the Committee by the ministries or referred to it for consideration by the President and/or the Prime Minister, and develop appropriate recommendations for Presidential consideration. The operational matters and issues referred to the Committee shall preferably be those that are of national importance or significance or involving two or more ministries.

The Cabinet Standing Committee may invite other Cabinet members or heads of agencies concerned to attend the meetings of the Committee and participate in its deliberations or provide clarifications and other information as needed with respect to the agenda item or issue under consideration.

SECTION 3. The Cabinet Standing Committee shall adopt rules and regulations to govern its internal procedures, including aspects relative to frequency of meetings, quorum, voting in arriving at a decisions, and similar matters.

SECTION 4. As Chairman of the Cabinet Standing Committee, the Prime Minister shall have the following powers and functions:

(1) Convene and preside over the meetings of the Committee;

(2) Determine and/or approve the agenda of the meetings of the Committee;

(3) Transmit recommendations requiring Presidential consideration and approval to the President as well as other decisions of the Committee; and

(4) Act as the Executive Officer of the Committee and accordingly execute the decisions and orders of the Committee.

SECTION 5. The Office of the Prime Minister, particularly the Cabinet Secretariat, shall provide the secretariat and technical staff services to the Cabinet Standing Committee.

SECTION 6. The Director General of the Office of Budget and Management is authorized to release such funds as may be necessary from the appropriations of the defunct Executive Committee or any applicable appropriation item under Batas Pambansa Blg. 640 for the operating expenses of the Cabinet Standing Committee during calendar year 1984. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the annual operation of the Committee shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 7. All laws, decrees, orders, proclamations, rules, regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 8. Any portion or provision of this Executive Order that may be declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying the other provisions thereof: Provided, That such remaining portions can still stand and be given effect in their entirety to accomplish the objectives of this Executive Order. cCEAHT

SECTION 9. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 17th day of July, in the Year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eight-Four.