Formation of "Super" Regions and Mandate of Superregional Development Champions

August 19, 2006

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 561

FORMATION OF THE "SUPER" REGIONS AND MANDATE OF THE SUPERREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONS

WHEREAS, for the first time in almost a decade the Philippine national budget in under control, the Philippine Government is lowering its deficit and raising unprecedented amounts of revenue;

WHEREAS, the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan commits to presenting a balanced budget by 2010;

WHEREAS, the Philippine government's economic managers commit to presenting the balanced budget by 2008;

WHEREAS, the infrastructure initiatives in the Medium Term Public Investment Program (MTPIP) will cost over One Trillion Pesos (P1,000,000,000.00);

WHEREAS, the investment program under the MTPIP will be funded by Government revenues generated by tax reforms, government-owned and controlled corporations and government financial institutions, as well as partnerships and other support from private sector and Philippines’ bilateral and multilateral partners; EAIaHD

WHEREAS, the MTPIP forms part of the Government’s second phase of economic reforms under which it is investing in better infrastructure and services to create jobs and improve living standards;

WHEREAS, the most sweeping element of said phase is to restructure the Philippine economy into "super" regions to bolster the natural advantages of five distinct subeconomies regions of the country;

WHEREAS, said "super" regions needs to be built up to create opportunity across the country;

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. The geographical units shall be grounded into the following "super" regions:

a) Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, to be composed of Regions I, II, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the northern part of the provinces of Aurora (north of Baler), Tarlac (north of Tarlac City), Nueva Ecija (north of Cabanatuan City), and Zambales (north of Subic); IEHTaA

b) Luzon Urban Beltway, to be composed of the National Capital Region, (NCR), Region IV-A, the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, Mindoro, Marinduque, and the southern parts of the provinces of Tarlac, Zambales, Aurora and Nueva Ecija;

c) Central Philippines, to be composed of Regions V, VI, VII, and VIII, and the provinces of Romblon, Palawan, and Camiguin, and the Island of Siargao;

d) Agribusiness Mindanao, to be composed of Regions IX, X except Camigiun, XI, XII, Caraga except Siargao, and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao; and

e) Cyber Corridor, which traverses the above "super" regions from Baguio to Cebu to Davao.

The above-mentioned groupings neither supersede current political boundaries nor alter the regional development councils as established by existing laws and issuances.

SECTION 2. The "super" regions shall have the following primary, through not exclusive, development themes:

a) Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle — Agribusiness

b) Luzon Urban Beltway — Globally competitive industrial and service center

c) Central Philippines — Tourism IcDCaT

d) Agribusiness Mindanao — Agribusiness

e) Cyber Corridor — Information and communication technology and knowledge economy.

SECTION 3. Each "super" region shall have a designated Development Champion whose mandate is to:

a) Serve as catalyst for development and prime advocate of the strategic development theme in his area;

b) Ensure the implementation of the priority programs and projects identified in the 2006 State of the Nation Address and the undated MTPIP, in close collaboration with the concerned local government units, national agencies and other partners in development, and undertake the necessary interventions to help ensure that these are completed on time and at a lowest cost to government.

c) Work out operational policies and remedial actions to ensure that the priority programs and projects are completed on schedule and a lowest cost to government; IDcTEA

d) Submit a monthly report to the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) on the overall accomplishment of project implementation, issues and problems identified and recommend solutions pursuant to item (c) above.

SECTION 4. The Development Management Champion are hereby authorized to call on National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Budget and Management, the PMS and the Infrastructure Monitoring Task Force for any assistance in the performance of their mandate, including any information or data requirement. They may also call on any other government agency, including government owned or controlled corporations, and government financial institutions, for assistance as they may deem necessary to ensure the timely and cost-effective implementation of the priority projects.

All Regional Development Councils shall assist the Development Champions in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.

The Office of the Press Secretary, Philippine Information Agency and Government mass media shall provide the necessary assistance in communicating the development endeavors in the "super" regions to key constituencies and the international community.

SECTION 5. The Development Champions are the following:

a) North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle — PMS Director-General Arthur Yap;

b) Luzon Urban Beltway — Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Chairman Edgardo Pamintuan;

c) Central Philippines — Secretary of Tourism Joseph Ace Durano; Secretary Cerge Remonde shall be the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development of region VII; DaScAI

d) Agribusiness Mindanao — Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Jesus Dureza;

e) Cyber Corridor — Commission on Information and Communication Technology Chairman Ramon Sales.

SECTION 6. The operational requirements of the Development Champions shall be supported by the budget of the agencies that they head. DTcASE

SECTION 7. This Executive Order takes effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 19th day of August in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.