EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 244

WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 512 (s. 1992) created the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) to facilitate the accelerated economic growth and development of Mindanao through an integrated and wholistic approach;

WHEREAS, Section I of the same EO provides that the MEDCo shall be the umbrella organization of the Regional Development Councils (RDC) in the four (4) administrative regions in Mindanao, namely: Western Mindanao (Region IX). Northern Mindanao (Region X), Southern Mindanao (Region XI), Central Mindanao (Region XII), and the Regional Planning and Development Board (RPDB) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM);

WHEREAS, MEDCo has insured the active participation of the aforesaid RDCs, including RDC-Caraga, despite its non-inclusion in the official coverage of MEDCo being the newest region created through the issuance of Republic Act No. 7901 in February 1995;

WHEREAS, MEDCo has been heavily involved in the country's participation in the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia The Philippines - East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) since 1994, with the MEDCo Secretariat (MS) acting as the country's Coordinating Secretariat for BIMP-EAGA activities;

WHEREAS, in view of the increasing Philippine participation in the development of the BIMP-EAGA and the compounding concerns of the various agencies involved in the implementation of its various projects, there is a need to officially include BIMP-EAGA concerns as part of the mandate of the MEDCo by designating the latter as the official coordinating agency on matters relevant to BIMP-EAGA;

WHEREAS, in view of the thrust of the present administration for Mindanao's role in the over-all development of the country, there is a need to rationalize the operation of MEDCo to increase its efficiency to become more responsive to the requirements of Mindanao;

NOW THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby amend EO No. 512, as amended:

SECTION 1. Section 1 of EO No. 512 dated 19 March 1992 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 1. Creation of the Mindanao Economic Development Council. There is hereby created a Mindanao Economic Development Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council, which shall promote and coordinate the active and extensive participation of all sectors to effect the socio-economic development of Mindanao. The Council shall primarily be an umbrella organization of the Regional Development Councils (RDCs) in the five (5) administrative regions in Mindanao, namely: Western Mindanao (Region IX). Northern Mindanao (Region X), Southern Mindanao (Region XI), Central Mindanao (Region XII), Caraga Administrative Region (Region XIII), and the Regional Planning and Development Board (RPDB) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)."

SECTION 2. Section 3 of the same EO is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 3. Regular Functions of the Council. The Council shall have the following regular functions:

a. Formulate development plans for the agricultural and industrial development of Mindanao as a single integrated economy;

b. Coordinate the integration of the Regional Development Plans of the regions involved in the Mindanao Development Plan;

c. Cause the preparation of feasibility studies and explore sources for financing of priority programs and projects, whether governmental or private, that will support and encourage Mindanao-wide economic and social development, such as Mindanao Power Corporation, regional commercial banks, Mindanao railroad system, petroleum refinery, skills and values promotion, and accelerated reforestation;

d. Integrate, prioritize and program interregional programs and projects and submit the same for approval by the Board of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), whenever the Council deems that such programs and projects would affect substantially the integrated development of Mindanao. The NEDA Board shall expeditiously act on such programs and projects submitted by the Council within a reasonable period;

e. Advocate to the constituents of Mindanao, their elected representatives in Congress, and the National Government, national policies that will foster the integrated and balanced development of Mindanao, in such policy areas as banking investment and lending by the GSIS and other government financing institutions; transport and telecommunications, infrastructure, export of agricultural products, reforestation, education and skills training;

f. Act as the implementing agency for the accomplishment of interregional projects, subject to such limitations prescribed by existing laws, rules and regulations;

g. Promote investments in any field, which would enhance the socio-economic development of Mindanao and uplift the living standards of the people and their socio-political activities;

h. Provide the machinery for extending the necessary planning, management and technical assistance to prospective and existing investors in Mindanao;

i. Receive and administer donations, contributions, grants, bequest or gifts in cash or in kind from foreign governments, international agencies, private entities, and other sources for purposes that would contribute to the development of Mindanao, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations; and,

j. Monitor, evaluate and formulate recommendations on the implementation of development plans and programs in Mindanao.

The Council shall submit to the President, through the NEDA Board, quarterly reports on its accomplishments and activities."

SECTION 3. The new Section 4 of the same EO will contain the special functions of the Council, to read as follows:

"Section 4. Special Functions of the Council. The Council shall have the following special functions:

a. Act as the official and permanent Philippine Coordinating Office (PCO) for BIMP-EAGA and as lead agency of the government in coordinating the formulation and implementation of policies and programs, and monitoring of all activities related thereto;

b. Represent and strengthen the participation of the Philippine focus areas for BIMP-EAGA, specifically Mindanao and Palawan;

c. Establish the Advisory Body on BIMP-EAGA headed by the Council Chairman as the Philippine Senior Official to the BIMP-EAGA, and shall be composed of the following:

i. Chairman of the aforementioned RDCs and RPDB of ARMM;
ii. Provincial Governor of Palawan;
iii. City Mayor of Puerto Princesa, Palawan;
iv. One (1) representative of the Puerto Princesa Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
v. One (1) non-government organization representative each from Palawan and Mindanao to be nominated by the Council;
vi. Two (2) nominees from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI); and,
vii. Chairperson of the Mindanao Business Council (MBC).

The Advisory Body on BIMP-EAGA shall convene, from time to time, to discuss issues and recommend policies and programs to ensure the widest participation of the Philippines in BIMP-EAGA.

The Advisory Body will make recommendations to the Council Chairman in his capacity as head of the PCO for the BIMP-EAGA. The PCO, in consultation with the Advisory Body, will draw up its own procedures for making recommendations, finalizing decisions, and seeing to their implementation.

d. In line with the Council's function as the PCO for BIMP-EAGA, it shall carry out the following functions:

i. Serve as the Coordinating Office for all BIMP-EAGA related activities and economic ties;
ii. Closely coordinate with the private sector in all policy deliberations concerning BIMP-EAGA;
iii. Act as data bank for BIMP-EAGA and other related data by collecting, consolidating and processing data and analyzing the information gathered to various groups;
iv. Initiate and coordinate the establishment of BIMP-EAGA desks in concerned national agencies, local government units, and private enterprises;
v. Undertake advocacy for the adoption/approval of new policies or policy changes and the promotion of initiatives for the growth of the BIMP-EAGA;
vi. Formulate and development new plans and/or programs for the Philippine participation in the BIMP-EAGA based on the consensus of the BIMP-EAGA Working Groups and/or Senior Officials;
vii. Initiate and facilitate sourcing of technical and other forms of assistance to BIMP-EAGA projects/initiatives;
viii. Monitor developments in the BIMP-EAGA and follow-through agreements entered by the Philippine parties;
ix. Ensure efficient and effective technical and administrative support services for the Philippine's BIMP-EAGA operations and coordinate budget requirements for this purpose; and,
x. Discharge other functions which may be deemed necessary."

SECTION 4. Section 4 of the same EO as mended by EO 10 dated 13 August 1998, shall become Section 5, and is hereby further amended as follows:

"Section 5. Officers of the Council. The Council shall have a Chairman and Vice-Chairman to be appointed by the President. The Council Chairman shall likewise be the Philippine Senior Official to BIMP-EAGA. The Council shall also have a Council Secretary to be appointed by the Chairman."

SECTION 5. Section 5 of the same EO shall now become Section 6.

SECTION 6. Section 6 of the same EO shall be deleted.

SECTION 7. The new Section 7 of the same EO shall now read as follows:

"Section 7. The Council Secretariat. There shall be a Secretariat to provide technical support to the Council's operations. The Council Secretary who shall be the concurrent Executive Director shall head the Secretariat."

SECTION 8. Section 7 of the same EO shall now become Section 8.

SECTION 9. The new section 9 of the same EO shall read as follows:

Section 9. Exemption from Administrative Order (AO) No. 100. In view of the additional special functions vested to the Council in this Order, the Council is hereby exempted from the implementation of AO 100 dated 10 December 1999 'Directing the Suspension of the Hiring of New Personnel for Purposes of Generating the Additional Funds for the Implementation of the 10 percent Across-the-Board Salary Increase for Fiscal Year 2000'."

SECTION 10. Section 8 of the same EO shall now become Section 10.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. All orders, issuances, rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this EO are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. This order shall take effect immediately.

DONE, IN THE City of Manila this 15th day of May in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand.

(SGD) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA

By the President:

(SGD) RONALDO B. ZAMORA Executive Secretary