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 governmental 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
lll, Book lll 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 to 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
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, 2002.  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.

By the President:

(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary