MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 44
AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 571 (S. 2006) RENAMING THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR TASK FORCE ON PHILIPPINE COMPETITIVENESS AS THE NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL (NCC) AND EXPANDING ITS MEMBERSHIP
WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 571 (s. 2006) created the Public-Private Sector Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness;
WHEREAS, it is the collective desire of both the government and the business sector to jointly address the competitiveness indicators that will impact on our competitiveness ranking and strengthen our industry, agriculture and service sectors, create jobs and increase income as we move up the value chain;
WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to demonstrate our country’s commitment towards enhancing our competitiveness and upgrading our competitiveness ranking; and
WHEREAS, the President has the continuing authority to re-organize the administrative structure of the Office of the President.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by the virtue of the powers vested in me by law do hereby order:
SECTION 1. National Competitiveness Council. The Public-Private Sector Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness, created under EO No. 571, shall be renamed as the National Competitiveness Council (NCC). The NCC shall be attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and shall report to the Economic Development Cluster.
SECTION 2. Mandate. The NCC shall promote and develop national competitiveness strategies and push for the implementation of the Action Agenda for Competitiveness, hereinafter referred to as the Action Agenda, and link this to the Philippine Development Plan (PDP).
SECTION 3. Composition. The NCC shall be composed of the following:
a) Secretary of Trade and Industry-Chairperson
b) Private Sector Representative – Co-Chairperson
c) Secretary of Finance
d) Secretary of Energy
e) Secretary of Tourism
f) Secretary of Education
g) Director General, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)
h) Five (5) Private Sector Representatives
The Co-Chairperson shall be appointed by the President for a term of two (2) years, who may be reappointed for another term. The five (5) Private Sector Representatives shall likewise be appointed by the President.
The NCC shall meet once every two (2) months or whenever the Chairperson shall convene the same.
SECTION 4. Powers and Functions. The NCC shall have the following functions:
a) Serve as the primary collection point of investor issues that need to be addressed in order to improve international competitiveness in the industry, services, and agricultural sectors;
b) Advise the President on policy matters affecting the competitiveness of the business sector;
c) Provide inputs to the PDP, Philippine Investments Priority Plan (PIPP), and the Philippine Exports Priority Plan (PEPP);
d) Coordinate, monitor, and ensure the implementation of key policy improvement processes identified as being closely associated with international competitiveness;
e) Recommend to Congress, through the Economic Development Cluster, proposed legislations that may contribute to competitiveness;
f) Coordinate with the Local Government Units (LGUs), through the local government leagues, to ensure that the policies and standards, plans and budgets of LGUs are supportive of the thrusts of the Action Agenda;
g) Coordinate with concerned agencies for the generation of resources, both governmental and non-governmental, local, national and international, as may be appropriate, in support of the Action Agenda;
h) Act as the primary body that will strategize and execute steps to improve the country’s international competitiveness ranking;
i) Perform such other powers and functions as may be necessary or as may be assigned by the President.
SECTION 5. Secretariat. The Department of Trade and Industry-Center for Industrial Competitiveness (DTI-CIC) shall serve as the NCC Secretariat, to be headed by its Executive Director, with the support of a private sector staff headed by an Operations Director.
SECTION 6. Coordination. The NCC shall regularly coordinate with industry/trade associations and local and foreign chambers of commerce to ensure the competitiveness of Philippine industries. They may be invited as resource institutions by the NCC in carrying out its mandate.
SECTION 7. Funding. To carry out the provisions of this Order, the amount of Five Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00) is hereby allocated from the Contingent Fund of the Office of the President (OP) for the operating expenses of NCC. Thereafter, the annual budget of NCC shall be incorporated in the regular budget of the DTI, subject to existing accounting and auditing laws and procedures. The private sector shall provide funding for its own activities.
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. Should any part of this Executive Order be declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. All other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
SECTION 10. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
DONE, in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of June, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven.
(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
By the President:
(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary
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