CREATING THE MULTI-SECTORAL TASK FORCE ON MARITIME DEVELOPMENT, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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WHEREAS, in the true spirit of people
empowerment and participatory democracy, the private sector, which is the real
engine of progress and the major stakeholder of the maritime industry, should
be made active participants in the charting of its development blueprint;

WHEREAS, in order to address the pressing
demands of global maritime competition, there is a need for the country to
proactively respond to various international maritime conventions as part of
manifesting its commitment and fulfilling its obligations to the international
shipping community;

WHEREAS, the National Development Summit
held on 8-9 June 1997 envisioned, among others, the launching of the
Philippines as a maritime power in East Asia in the 21st century, by harnessing
the vast potential of the maritime industry in the service of national economic
development, thus making it a catalyst for growth of the nation’s industries,
significantly generating employment, enhancing food security and alleviating
poverty, especially among the coastal communities;

WHEREAS, there are problems presently
besetting the Maritime Administration structure of the country, particularly,
overlapping of functions among government agencies that perform maritime
functions, programs and policies that are in cross purposes with each other
which, oftentimes, hinder the growth and progress of the maritime industry and
dissipate government resources;

WHEREAS, there is a need to firm-up the
frame work and implement the immediate and short term measures, as well as
formulate unified action plans identified in the economic summit workshop, in
support of the vision to position the Philippines as a maritime power by the
turn of the millennium;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to
create a Multi-Sectoral Task Force to shepherd and fast-track strategic
measures to pole-vault the country’s economy with respect to the vision of
making the Philippines as a maritime power;

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

SECTION 1. Creation of a Multi-Sectoral Task
Force on Maritime Development. There is hereby created a Multi-Sectoral Task
Force on Maritime Development (MTFMD) under the Office of the President.

SECTION 2. Composition. The Task
Force shall be composed of the following:

The members of the Task Force may designate their
duly authorized representatives. Such designated representatives shall have
full powers to vote and act for, and in behalf of their principals, in any
action to be taken by the Task Force unless their designation provides
otherwise.

The Task Force, by a majority vote of all members,
may replace past members and invite additional members whenever the
circumstance so warrant. In addition, the decision of the Task Force to
implement measures that is of paramount importance to the economic posture of
the country specifically on issues of maritime concern, shall be made binding,
after being voted upon by the majority of the members, and can only be
rescinded by the President of the Philippines.

SECTION 3. Powers and Functions. The
Task Force shall have the following powers and functions:

a. Prepare a programme of action and identify
priorities to be adopted and implemented by the government and the private
sector to carry-out the agreements of the National Development Summit Workshop
on the vision to launch the Philippines as a maritime power in East Asia in the
21st century through the following:

i. review and evaluate existing plans, policies and
programmes relating to the development of the maritime sector in the light of
the above vision;

ii. recommend amendments and/or revision of
existing laws and policies for the enactment of additional laws, rules and
regulations and policies when warranted;

iii. conduct researches, studies and inquiries on
the issues and implications to the Philippine maritime sector of relevant
domestic and international developments;

iv. identification of private sector initiatives
and technological innovations that will enhance our competitive advantages in
both the regional and global markets.

b. Monitor, shepherd and fast-track the
implementation of the programme of action, coordinating and consulting with the
different concerned government agencies and private sector groups especially on
urgent measures of major impact to the maritime sector i.e., inclusion of the
Philippines in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) whitelist under
STCW ’95, ratification of important maritime conventions, (MARPOL 73/78, U.N.
Convention on Ships Registration, FAL Convention of 1964), re-engineering of
the Maritime Administration structure of the country thru the transfer of the
PCG from the DND to the DOTC, amendment of PD 97 as proposed, revision of
maritime incentives, and other similar important and urgent maritime issues of
great economic significance;

c. Enhance collaboration and build consensus among
the various sectors that may be affected.

d. Create technical working groups as may be
necessary to accomplish its function.

e. Adopt rules and guidelines to govern the
internal affairs of the Task Force; and

f. Perform such other powers and functions as may
be necessary to achieve the objectives of this order.

SECTION 4. Meetings and Quorum. The
Task Force shall meet at least once every month or as often as may be necessary
upon the call of the Chairmen.

The Task Force shall immediately convene upon the
promulgation of this Executive Order to prepare and approve the Implementing
Rules and Regulations for its effective implementation.

The presence of a majority of the members shall
constitute a quorum and the vote of a majority of said quorum shall be
sufficient for the approval of any action of the Task Force.

SECTION 5. Secretariat. The National
Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Transportation and
Communications, in collaboration with the private sector, shall establish and
head a permanent Secretariat to provide technical and administrative support in
the implementation of the programmes as formulated by the Task Force.

SECTION 6. Funding. The
initial appropriations of three (3) million pesos shall be drawn from the
budget allocation of the Office of the President. Subsequent appropriations
shall be incorporated in the annual budget of the Department of Transportation
and Communications as approved by both Houses of Congress.

SECTION 7. Honoraria. The
Chairman of the Task Force shall establish a system of honoraria or allowances
for the meetings of the members in accordance with existing accounting and auditing
regulations.

SECTION 8. Repealing. All other
laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent
with this order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. This
Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, on this 17th day of
July 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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