CREATING THE AGNO RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO OVERSEE AND COORDINATE ALL DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES ALONG THE AGNO RIVER BASIN

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WHEREAS, the Agno River is the lifeblood
of a great part of Northern Luzon providing a major portion of all water usage
in Region I and the Cordillera Administrative Region;

WHEREAS, the Agno River basin is the 5th
largest river basin in the country whose upland watersheds and vast alluvial
plain are surrounded by mountain ranges belonging to the Cordillera Mountains,
the Zambales and Mariveles mountains;

WHEREAS, the river basin, which covers
principally the provinces of Pangasinan and Benguet, is the area’s food and
fiber basket, and is considered one of the richest ecosystems in the country;

WHEREAS, the river today faces imminent
threat of destruction caused by, among others, soil-erosion, river siltation,
and sedimentation, thus putting in direct danger the basin’s resources;

WHEREAS, the preliminary quantified
evidence of accelerated sediment yield following the 1990 Luzon earthquake
provides justification for placing high-priority to mitigation projects and
programs;

WHEREAS, the recent Agno River Siltation
Study indicates the need to create a body that will coordinate all phases of
planning, design, construction, and implementation of various siltation
mitigation projects as well as other development undertakings of various
government agencies, including local government units, non-government organizations
and the private sector;

WHEREAS, the most appropriate
geographical entity for the wholistic approach in water resources planning and
management is an inter-agency Commission for the development of the Agno River
basin;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS,
President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in
me by law, do hereby order the following:

SECTION 1. There is hereby created under
the Office of the President an inter-agency Agno River Basin Development
Commission which shall be composed of the following:

The members may designate their permanent
representatives to the Commission.

The Commission shall have an Executive Director
with the rank of Undersecretary, who shall manage its day-to-day operations. He
shall be appointed by the President and shall serve in a full-time capacity.

SECTION 2. The Commission shall have the
following functions:

2.1 Develop a comprehensive master plan for the
integrated economic, social and physical development of the basin, including
the preservation and enhancement of indigenous culture and communities, to
maximize equitable benefits to be derived from the basin’s natural resources,
as well as ensure a fair sharing of the national patrimony between upland and
lowland peoples. The Commission shall adopt process of maximum consultation
with, among others, the local government units, people’s and non-government
organizations, and other stakeholders in the area. The master plan shall be
considered for integration into the Regional Development Plans of both RDC I
and CAR;

2.2 In coordination with existing line agencies,
implement development projects that have an overall impact upon the
geographical coverage of the Commission;

2.3 Coordinate and monitor all planning, studies,
design and implementation of various programs and projects for the development
of the Agno River Basin;

2.4 Initiate, receive and recommend project
proposals for the development, preservation and management of the basin’s
natural resources;

2.5 Formulate, review, evaluate and propose
improvements in existing policies governing the protection, preservation,
management and development of the basin through legislation or other
appropriate executive issuances;

2.6 Commission studies, research and other
development undertakings to determine appropriate measures necessary to carry
out the development of the basin;

2.7 Coordinate soil-erosion control, river
siltation mitigation, flood control, both structural and non-structural
measures, as well as other aspects of infrastructure and land development
projects among concerned government agencies adopting the most effective
devolution and sharing of functions and technical expertise;

2.8 Establish a functional basin information and
database system, including computer-generated planning tools such as GIS for
use by planners, managers, technical personnel and the general public;

2.9 Organize its own administrative and technical
support secretariat, as well as such other committees, task forces and
technical working groups it deems necessary to carry out its mandate;

2.10 Receive grants, technical assistance and other
forms of development support from foreign and local donor agencies;

2.11 Call upon any government agency, office, or
bureau for assistance in the discharge of its functions and responsibilities;
and

2.12 Undertake such other duties and functions as
may be necessary to perform its mandate.

SECTION 3. Nothing in this Order shall be
construed as effecting the abolition or diminution of powers of existing
government entities, including those that have been created by previous
Presidential issuances. The relationship between the Commission and such other
entities shall be one of complementarity and coordination.

SECTION 4. The Commission shall submit a
semi-annual report to the Office of the President.

SECTION 5. The funding of activities
necessary to carry out the mandate of this Order in the initial amount of
P10,000,000.00 shall come from the Contingent Fund or from any available fund
under the Office of the President. Succeeding appropriations shall be included
in the regular budget proposals of the Office of the President.

SECTION 6. Any provision of previous
related issuances contrary to this Order are hereby superseded.

SECTION 7. This Order shall take effect
immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 23rd day of
September in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety-seven.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the
President:

(Sgd.) RUBEN
D. TORRES
Executive Secretary

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