Rationalization of the Organization and Supervision of Agencies Attached to the Office of the President

September 14, 2004

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 357

PURSUING THE RATIONALIZATION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION OF AGENCIES UNDER/ATTACHED TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 72 was issued by the President on February 11, 2002 to rationalize the organization and supervision of agencies, task forces and other bodies under or attached to the Office of the President (OP);

WHEREAS, the intent of EO 72 is to enhance the capacity of the President in the overall management of government affairs, and in the supervision of the various agencies requiring greater Presidential attention, by unloading the OP of the direct responsibility of supervising agencies whose functions are properly aligned with/subsumed under other departments;

WHEREAS, there are agencies under/attached to OP whose existence have to be rationalized as they have accomplished their mandate or are performing functions similar or related to those of other departments, agencies and local government units;

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of Executive Order No. 292 (Administrative Code of 1987)provides continuing authority to the President to reorganize the administrative structure of the OP.

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

SECTION 1. Implementation of the Dispositive Actions for the Other Agencies, Task Forces and Other Bodies Under/Attached by OP. — Consistent with the policy, objectives and processes on the rationalization of the organization and supervision of agencies under/attached to OP, as adopted under EO 72, Series of 2002, the following shall be affected:

A. Abolition of the following agencies (10):

1. Agno River Basin Development Commission

2. Atlas Commission

3. Movie and Television Review and classification Board Appeals Committee

4. Official Development Assistance Absorption Office

5. Office of the Presidential Adviser on Agricultural Modernization

6. Public-Private Sector Task Force to Coordinate Philippine Participation in the Post-War Reconstruction of Iraq

7. Office of the Presidential Adviser for Constitutional Reforms aCcHEI

8. Office of the Presidential Adviser for Strategic Projects

9. Presidential Commission for the Central Luzon Growth Corridor

10. Office of the Anti-smuggling Presidential Adviser

B. Abolition of the following agencies and transfer to and/or merger with other departments/agencies (4):

11. North Luzon Development Plan Management Office — its personnel to be absorbed by the Office of the Presidential Adviser for North Luzon;

12. Presidential Assistant for Mindanao — its functions to be merged with the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO);

13. Bipartisan Executive-Legislative Advisory Council on the Sabah Issues — its functions to be transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

14. Office of the Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns — its remaining budget to be transferred to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Communication;

SECTION 2. Disposition of Functions, Positions, Personnel, Assets and Liabilities of Abolished Agencies. — The winding-up of the operations of the affected agencies under Section 1 hereof, specifically the disposition of their functions, positions, personnel, assets and liabilities, shall be governed by the Rules and Regulations Implementing EO 72 dated March 15, 2004. The winding-up plan shall be completed not later than ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this EO.

The Office of the Executive Secretary, with the Assistance of the Department of Budget and Management, shall ensure the smooth and efficient implementation of the dispositive actions and winding-up of the activities of these agencies.

SECTION 3. Effectivity. — This Executive Order shall take effect upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 14th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Four.

Published in the Daily Tribune on September 24, 2004.