REITERATING GOVERNMENT BELT-TIGHTENING

WHEREAS, in challenging economic times, the government must tighten
its belt and live within its means, just like the average Filipino
household;

WHEREAS, to that end, the government is taking a series of actions to stop unnecessary and wasteful spending;

WHEREAS, the taxpayers deserve no less from their government and public servants;

WHEREAS, the government must pour all savings and revenue into programs that help the poor and the middle class;

WHEREAS, government-wide, a one-and-a-half reduction of Maintenance,
Overhead and Operating Expenses translates to a savings of Seven Billion
Pesos (P7,000,000,000.00);

WHEREAS, an Independence Day Parade costs more or less Thirty Million Pesos (P30,000,000.00);

WHEREAS, some forty thousand (40,000) Filipino workers, notably in
the export industry, have been displaced by the global economic crisis;

NOW, THEREFORE, I GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by the power vested in me by la w, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. As mandated earlier this year through
Executive Order No. 782, all government agencies and instrumentalities,
including all departments, bureaus, attached agencies, government-owned
and controlled corporations and government financial institutions, shall
reduce their respective Maintenance, Overhead and Operating Expense
(MOOE) budgets by one and a half percent (1.5%). Savings from MOOE shall
be allocated to emergency employment for the next six (6) months.

SECTION 2. As mandated in
early 2008, all government agencies and entities shall undertake
electricity and fuel saving measures, including but not limited to the
following: the consumption of fossil fuels shall be brought down by
twenty-five percent (25%); electric consumption shall be reduced by at
least ten percent (10%); air conditioners shall be turned off at 4:30
p.m. except those with 24-hour work; incandescent bulbs shall be
replaced with Compact Flourescent Lamps; twenty percent (20%) of the
vehicles of the national government, including those of the
government-owned and controlled corporations, shall be converted to the
use of natural gas.

SECTION 3. National government vehicles, including those
of government owned and controlled corporations, which are not issued to
an official and are not on official trip, shall be garaged in the
agency office, and the keys shall be kept by guards, during weekends and
holidays. All local government units are likewise enjoined to adopt the
same policy. Letter of Instructions No. 991 (s. 1980) and its
corresponding Guidelines em bodied in Department Administrative Order No. 82-004 (s. 1982) concerning the issuance of security plates
shall be strictly implemented.

SECTION 4. On Independence Day, June 12, the
annual parade shall be foregone. Instead a mega-jobs fair shall be
organized to enable the forty thousand (40,000) workers displaced by the
global crisis find employment or livelihood.

SECTION 5. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 07 Apr. 2009

(SGD., GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines

BY THE PRESIDENT:

(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary