REPEALING LETTER OF INSTRUCTION (LOI) NO. 58, AS AMENDED, LIMITING THE HECTARAGE FOR BANANA EXPORT PLANTATION TO 26,250 HECTARES

WHEREAS, one of the goals of the 2004-2010 Medium-Term Philippine
Development Plan is to develop new land for agribusiness to create more
job opportunities and to strengthen global competitiveness;

WHEREAS, the Philippine export banana industry has gained global
market strength over the years producing one of the country’s major
export products and source of jobs;

WHEREAS, LOI 58 issued on 22 February 1973, as amended by LOI 790
issued on 6 January 1979, limits the hectarage that could be planted to
export banana at 26,250 hectares;

WHEREAS, the existing hectarage planted to export banana increased
over the years and has exceeded the limit allowed under said LOI due to
increasing global market demand;

WHEREAS, improving the country’s global market position in the
export banana industry necessitates the repeal of LOI 58 as amended.

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

SECTION 1. Letter of Instruction No. 58 (series of 1973), as amended, is hereby repealed.

SECTION 2. The Banana Industry Export Committee is hereby
dissolved. Instead, the Department of Agriculture (DA) shall oversee
the export banana industry, as with other crops, subject to existing
land use policies and plans of the national and local governments and
with due consideration to global market demand and conditions as well as
social and environmental impacts of expanding banana plantation areas,
among others.

SECTION 3. All presidential issuances,
administrative rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with
this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in a national newspaper of general circulation.

Adopted: 08 June 2009

(SGD.) GLORIA M. ARROYO
President of the Philippines   

BY THE PRESIDENT:

(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary