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Executive Order 561 - FORMATION OF THE SUPER REGIONS AND MANDATE OF THE SUPERREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONS
MALACANANG PALACE
MANILA
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 561
FORMATION OF THE SUPER REGIONS AND MANDATE OF THE SUPERREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONS
WHEREAS, for the first time in almost a decade the Philippine national budget is under control, the Philippine government is lowering its deficit and raising unprecedented amounts of revenue;
WHEREAS, the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan commits to presenting a balanced budget by 2010;
WHEREAS, the infrastructure initiatives in the Medium Term Public Investment Program (MTPIP) will cost over One Trillion Pesos (1,000,000,000,000);
WHEREAS, the investment program under the MTPIP will be funded by Government revenues generated by tax reforms, government owned and controlled corporations and government financial institutions, as well as partnerships and other support from the private sector and the Philippines' bilateral and multilateral partners;
WHEREAS, the MTPIP forms part of the Government's second phase of economic reforms under which it is investing in better infrastructure and services to create jobs and improve living standards;
WHEREAS, the most sweeping element of said phase is to restructure the Philippine economy into super regions to bolster the natural advantage of five distinct sub economies regions of the country;
WHEREAS, the said super regions need to be built up to create opportunity across the country;
NOW THEREFORE I, GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:
SECTION 1. The geographical units shall be grouped into the following super regions:
a.) Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, to be composed of Regions I, II, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the northern part of the provinces of Aurora (north of Baler), Tarlac (north of Tarlac), Nueva Ecija (north of Cabanatuan City), and Zambales, (north of Subic);
b.) Luzon Urban Beltway, to be composed of the National Capital Region (NCR), Region IV-A, the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, Mindoro, Marinduque, and the southern part of the Provinces of Tarlac, Zambales, Aurora, and Nueva Ecija;
c.) Central Philippines, to be composed of Regions V, VI, VII and VIII, and the provinces of Romblon, Palawan, and Camiguin and the island of Siargao;
d.) Agribusinesses Mindanao, to be composed of Regions IX, X except Camiguin, XI, XII, Caraga except Siargao, and the Autonomous Regions of Muslim Mindanao; and
e.) Cyber Corridor, which traverse the above super regions from Baguio to Cebu to Davao.
The above-mentioned groupings neither supersede current political boundaries nor alter the regional development councils are established by existing laws and issuances.
SECTION 2. The super regions shall have the following primary, though not exclusive, development themes:
a.) Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle-Agribusiness
b.) Luzon Urban Beltway- Globally competitive industrial and service center
c.) Central Philippines- Tourism
d.) Agribusiness Mindanao- Agribusiness
e.) Cyber Corridor- Information and communication technology and knowledge economy.
SECTION 3. Each super region shall have a designated Development Champion whose mandate is to:
a.) Serve as catalyst for development and prime advocate of the strategic development theme in his area;
b.) Ensure the implementation of the priority programs and projects identified in the 2006 State of the Nation Address and the updated MTPIP, in close collaboration with the concerned local government units, national agencies and other partners in development, and undertake the necessary interventions to help ensure that these are completed on time on the lowest cost to government;
c.) Work out operational policies and remedial actions to ensure that the priority programs and projects are completed on schedule and at lowest cost to government;
d.) Submit a monthly report to the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) on the overall accomplishments of project implementation, issue and problems identified, and recommend solutions pursuant to item ( c ) above.
SECTION 4. The development Management Champions are hereby authorized to call on to the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Budget and Management, the PMS and the Infrastructure Monitoring Task Force for any assistance in the performance of their mandate, including any information or data requirement. They may also call on any other government agency, including government owned or controlled corporations, and government financial institutions, for assistance as they may deem necessary to ensure the time and cost-effective implementation of the priority projects.
All Regional Development Councils shall assist the Development Champions in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.
The Office of the Press Secretary, Philippine Information Agency and Government mass media shall provide the necessary assistance in communicating the development endeavors in the super regions to key constituencies and the international community.
SECTION 5. The Development Champions are the following:
a.) North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle- PMS Director- General Arthur Yap;
b.) Luzon Urban Beltway Subic- Clark Alliance for Development Chairman Edgardo Pamintuan ;
c.) Central Philippines - Secretary of Tourism Joseph Ace Durano; Secretary Cerge Remonde shall be the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development of Region VII;
d.) Agribusiness Mindanao - Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Jesus Dureza;
e.) Cyber Corridor- Commission on Information and Communication Technology Chairman Ramon Sales.
SECTION 6. The operational requirements of the Development Champions shall be supported by the budget of the agencies that they head.
SECTION 7. This Executive Order takes effect immediately.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 19th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.
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