EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 259 July 11, 1995

FURTHER AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER NOS. 175 DATED APRIL 30, 1994, AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 223 DATED FEBRUARY 7, 1995 AND EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 229 DATED MARCH 19, 1995, WHICH CREATED A NORTHWESTERN LUZON GROWTH QUADRANGLE COMMISSION

I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the amendment of Executive Order No. 175 dated April 30, 1994 as amended by Executive Order No. 223 dated February 7, 1995 and Executive Order No. 229 dated March 19, 1995, as follows:

The First WHEREAS Clause is hereby amended to read as follows:

"WHEREAS, The Medium Term Philippine Development Plan for 1993-1998 has identified the development of the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle (NWLGQ) comprising the provinces of Region I and the Baguio- La Trinidad-Itogon-Samblan-Tuba (BLIST) area in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) as a component strategy towards agri-industrial development;"

The Third WHEREAS Clause is hereby amended to read as follows:

"WHEREAS, the coordinative and management mechanism for the planning, implementation and monitoring of the NWLGQ was already approved by the Regional Development Council (RDC) I and the government's decentralization and regionalization policy as provided under Executive Order Nos. 363 and 505;"

Sec. 1. Section 1 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 1. NWLGQ Commission. There is hereby created under the Office of the President, a Presidential Commission to be called the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle Commission (NWLGQ), herein after referred to as the Commission. The Commission shall be responsible for the overall policy direction, coordination and supervision of the entire NWLGQ development efforts. It shall be composed of the following members:

Secretary of Trade and Industry

CORDs for Region I and CAR

Secretary of Tourism

Secretary of Agriculture

Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources

Secretary of Transportation and Communication

Secretary of Public Works and Highways

Secretary of Energy

Secretary of Budget and Management

NEDA Director General

The Presidential Assistant for Regional Development

The Chairman of Regional Development Council I

The Chairman of Cordillera Executive Board

The Provincial Governor of Ilocos Norte

The Provincial Governor of Ilocos Sur

The Provincial Governor of La Union

The Provincial Governor of Pangasinan

The Provincial Governor of Benguet

The City Mayor of Dagupan City

The City Mayor of Baguio City

The City Mayor of Laoag City

The Municipal Mayor of San Fernando, La Union

The PCCI Chairman of Region I

The PCCI Chairman of CAR

The B Chairman

NGO Regional Federation Representative each for Regions I and CAR to be appointed by the President

The Executive Director of the Coordinating Council of the Philippine Assistance Program (CCPAP)

The Commission shall be chaired by the CORD for Region I and co-chaired by the Secretary of Trade and Industry and CORD for CAR.

The Commission shall have the following functions:

a) Review and submit to the President for approval, the NWLGQ Master Plan and Development Program;

b) Provide overall policy direction, coordination and monitoring of all program/project components and development activities of the NWLGQ Development Program in consultation and coordination with the Joint RDC-CEB Inter-Regional Consultative Council;

c) Cause the preparation, update, refinement and endorsement of the NWLGQ plans, investment programs and projects within the context of the NWLGQ Master Plan and the Regional Development and Physical Framework Plans and Investment Programs of Regions I and CAR;

d) Cause the preparation of feasibility studies for the financing of the various projects identified for the NWLGQ;

e) Encourage the support and assistance from government and non-government institutions in planning and implementing the various projects under the NWLGQ Development Program;

f) Organize the Program Management Office (PMO), define its organizational set-up, establish its staffing pattern as well as internal operating systems and procedures;

g) Review and confirm contracts entered into by the Executive Director of the Program Management Office (PMO);

h) Review and endorse to the concerned implementing bodies (Central Offices) the annual budget of the North Quad Development Program to ensure that the funding requirements of the North Quad Programs/Projects approved by the RDC will form part of the concerned agencies' annual budget;

i) Review and endorse to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the annual budget for the operations of the North Quad Commission/Program Management Office;

j) Submit to the President regular progress reports on the NWLGQ Development Program and such other reports as may be required;

k) To accept and manage grants, donations or any such funds for the development of the NWLGQ Program;

l) To negotiate for development funds to include ODA on a bilateral or multi-lateral basis in accordance with the existing rules and regulations;

m) To adopt rules, systems and procedures and structures which the Commission may deem fit to carry out its functions;

n) To mobilize private sector participation as the primary actor for the Quad development;

o) To conduct advocacy and investment promotion activities."

Sec. 2. Section 2 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 2. Executive Committee (ExCom). There is hereby created a NWLGQ Executive Committee (ExCom) to supervise its day-to-day operations. The ExCom shall be comprised of not more than one third of the total membership of the fully-constituted Commission. The Commission shall appoint the members of the ExCom. The Chairman of the ExCom shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Commission. The ExCom Chairman shall possess, among others, national and regional statute and perspective. All action/s undertaken by the ExCom shall be confirmed by the Commission proper.

The Executive Committee (ExCom) shall have the following functions:

a) Evaluate and endorse to the Commission the North Quad Master Plan;

b) Monitor and submit reports on the progress of the North Quad Development Program (NQDP) and other required reports to the Commission;

c) Perform functions of the Commission and such other related functions as may be delegated by the Commission proper;

d) Evaluate and refine the North Quad Master Plan, considering other plans i.e. the Regional Development and Physical Framework Plans, and other plans and inputs of the LGUs, concerned entities and endorse to the Commission for approval and adoption;

e) Evaluate the annual investment program and annual budget of the NQDP and endorse it to the Commission for approval;

f) Prepare an action plan for the utilization of funds (grants, donations, etc.) for the development of the NQDP;

g) Initiate the negotiation for development funds to include ODA on a bilateral or multi-lateral basis;

h) Review and approve the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the conduct of feasibility studies on projects in the NQDP;

i) Review/evaluate the feasibility studies on various projects identified for the NQDP;

j) Endorse/present the feasibility studies to the Commission for adoption/final approval;

k) Evaluate and approve contracts entered into by the PMO and endorse the same to the Commission for confirmation;

l) Formulate related policies governing the NQDP in coordinating and monitoring of all program/project components and recommend to the Commission for approval and policy implementation;

m) Review all progress reports submitted by the PMO and other required reports for submission to the Commission;

n) Recommend to the Commission the organizational set-up, staffing pattern and internal operating system of the PMO and recruit applicants to the PMO;

o) Evaluate and endorse to the Commission the annual budget of the PMO; and

p) Formulate rules, systems and procedures and recommend to the Commission for adoption;"

Sec. 3. Section 3 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 3. Program Management Office. The Program Management Office (PMO) shall serve as the implementing arm as well as technical and administrative secretariat of the Commission and its ExCom and as such, shall undertake the day to day activities of the NWLGQ Development Program. It shall be headed by an Executive Director to be appointed by the President. The DTI and NEDA Offices of Regions I and CAR shall provide technical and secretariat support to the Commission on an interim basis until such time that the staffing pattern for the PMO shall have been determined and approved by the Commission. Fiscal austerity will be observed strictly. lawphi1.net

The Program Management Office shall perform the following functions:

a) Coordinate with implementing bodies including local government units, line agencies, financing institutions, non-government organizations and other concerned entities in the updating, refinement, endorsement and implementation of the NWLGQ Master Plan and investment programs and projects;

b) Coordinate with the Local Development Councils (LDCs) in the implementation of policy decisions promulgated by the Commission;

c) Coordinate the preparation of feasibility studies or other related studies of the project components of the NWLGQ Development Program and evaluation and financing of feasible projects;

d) Coordinate with the RDC on the preparation of the annual budgetary requirements of the Programs/projects of the North Quad Development Program to ensure that the funding requirements of such will form part of the annual budget of the concerned implementing bodies and submit the same to the Commission through the ExCom;

e) Prepare the annual budget of the Commission for the latter's approval;

f) Recommend to the ExCom the list of North Quad programs/projects that require funding for the implementation of the same;

g) Enter into contracts with the proper approval from the ExCom/Commission;

h) Undertake the day-to-day operations, to include securing the release, transfer, deposit of funds from the proper agency, and administering the funds of the North Quad Development Program, including the disbursements for proper expenses and payables;

i) Undertake periodic policy implementation review and evaluation of the NWLGQ Development Program and shall, for the purpose, design and operationalize the implementation, monitoring and evaluation system consistent with the Regional Project Monitoring and Evaluation System (RPMES);

j) Provide research and technical assistance to the Commission and the ExCom;

k) Provide day-to-day technical assistance to the Commission and the ExCom;

l) Develop and maintain a comprehensive management information system;

m) Conduct or coordinate trainings and other capability-building programs on areas of interest which are crucial to the activities of the Commission;

n) Perform such other functions and responsibilities as the Commission may direct."

Sec. 4. Section 4 is hereby amended as follows:

"Sec. 4. Role of the Implementing Bodies (National Line Agencies/Local Government Units, NGOs/PS, GOCCs). National line agencies in the region, government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units, non-government organizations/private sector shall, as appropriate serve as implementing entities of the Commission for the North Quad Development Program related activities. In cases where national line agencies are designated as lead implementing entity, implementation shall be undertaken in close coordination with the Commission through the PMO and concerned LGUs."

Sec. 5. Section 5 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 5. Joint Inter-Regional Consultative Council. There is hereby created a Joint Inter-Regional Consultative Council which shall be composed of three (3) representatives from the Regional Development Council (RDC) and a counterpart group from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to be composed of three (3) representative CEB, and three (3) representatives of Regional Line Agencies (RLAs) from each region whose Heads of Office are members of the NEDA Board all of whom shall be chosen from among themselves. The Joint Inter-Regional Consultative Council shall serve as the Commission's Inter-Regional Advisory Group.

The Joint Inter-Regional Consultative Council shall have the following functions:

a) To serve as the Commission's inter-regional policy formulation group;

b) To act on problems referred to it by the Commission on matters requiring inter-regional decision."

Sec. 6. Section 6 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 6. Role of Local Development Councils. The Local Development Councils of the program area shall perform the following functions:

a) Approve the respective local components of the multi-year and annual plans and investment programs under the NWLGQ Development Program;

b) Monitor and conduct periodic review (in accordance with the project program of work) of the local project component with respect to achievement of goals, objectives and targets of the NWLGQ Development Program;

c) Coordinate and facilitate the preparation of site specific development plans, programs and projects;

d) Coordinate the passage of municipal and/or provincial resolutions declaring the areas for industrial and tourism use, if not yet declared or classified as such;

e) Coordinate with the Provincial/Regional Land Use Committees and Sanggunians concerned on the review and approval of the land use and zoning plans of NWLGQ component sites;

f) Spearhead the coordination of area inter-agency activities within the area/province of jurisdiction on the implementation of the NWLGQ Development Program;

g) To perform advocacy and consultative role;

h) Perform such other functions as the PMO may request."

Sec. 7. Section 7 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 7. Advisory Council. There is hereby created an Advisory Council whose members are Senators and Congressmen from Region I and CAR and other concerned Secretaries and private sectors who are not members of the Commission.

Functions of the Advisory Council:

a) To ensure the development goals, policies and programs formulated by the Commission are properly coordinated with the overall national goals, policies and programs;

b) To provide national leadership in the investment promotion of the North Quad Development Program;

c) To maintain liaison with Congress and central government offices and as necessary, arrange the needed support for North Quad Development Program projects from central agencies, including funding agencies."

Sec. 8. Section 8 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 8. Operational Requirements. Appropriations for the year 1996 and the succeeding years for the operations of the PMO shall be incorporated in the budget of the Office of the President."

Sec. 9. Section 9 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 9. The Term of the Commission and the Program Management Office. The Commission and the Program Management Office shall have a term corresponding to the implementation period of the NWLGQ Development Program. The NEDA Board, through its Secretariat, is hereby directed to conduct an annual review and evaluation of the management and coordinating structures of the Commission and the Project Management Office. Recommendations and revisions, if any, shall be submitted to the President for approval not later than the last working day of January of the following year."

Sec. 10. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila this 11th day of July in the year of Our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Five.


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