Executive Order No. 31




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 31, June 28, 2017 ] CREATING THE STRATEGY, ECONOMICS, AND RESULTS GROUP IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE WHEREAS, the Government is committed to pursuing a socioeconomic agenda that will spur inclusive growth and development, poverty alleviation, more and better job opportunities, and better quality of life for all Filipinos, especially the poor and the marginalized; WHEREAS, the 0+10-Point Socioeconomic Agenda covers the priority programs on macroeconomic policies, taxation, competitiveness, infrastructure, rural development, land administration and management, human capital development, science, technology, the creative arts, social protection, and reproductive health; WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 292 (s. 1987), otherwise known as the "Administrative Code of 1987," provides that the Department of Finance (DOF) is responsible for the formulation, institutionalization and administration of fiscal and tax policies, as well as act as custodian and manage all financial resources of the national government; WHEREAS, EO No. 24 (s.2017), which reorganized the Cabinet Cluster system, designates the Secretary of Finance as the Chairperson of the Economic Development Cluster (EDC), wherein the EDC is primarily tasked to focus on the promotion of rapid, inclusive and sustained economic growth; WHEREAS, the President is granted the authority under Section 82 of Republic Act No. 10924, or the General Appropriations Act of 2017, to create new offices and modify the existing organization structure of the agencies in the Executive Branch, as well as create new positions or modify existing ones, whenever public interest so requires; and WHEREAS, there is a need to create a specialized group in the DOF to provide strategic advice, economic policy research, and reform management and coordination, including reform coalition building, in the area of fiscal policy to support the priority reforms under the 0+10-Point Socioeconomic Agenda of the national government; NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order: Section 1. Creation of the Strategy, Economics, and Results Group. There is hereby created the Strategy, Economics, and Results Group (SERG) within the DOF, which is mandated to: a. Provide strategic advice to the Secretary of Finance, as the EDC Chairperson, as regards fiscal policies and financial implications of the national government's priority programs; b. Conduct fiscal economics policy research to support the identified priority programs; and c. Manage and coordinate transformative reforms of the DOF that will ultimately result in better life for all Filipinos, especially the poor and the marginalized. Section 2. Control and Supervision. The SERG shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Secretary of Finance, who shall designate an Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary to oversee the operations of the Group. Section 3. Offices and Functions. The SERG shall be composed of two (2) new offices, each to be headed by a Director IV and to be assisted by a Director III: 1. Strategy and Results Office (SRO)- The SRO shall have the following functions: a. Develop strategy maps and plans to convert the priority socioeconomic agenda into executive and legislative action from a fiscal perspective, complementing the National Economic and Development Authority's Philippine Development Plan; b. Provide fiscal policy advice and inputs to the DOF officials and the members of the EDC, including the performance of quality assurance and review of the pronouncements and policy decisions of the Secretary of Finance; c. Manage an up-to-date data bank of fiscal economic insights, outlooks, risks and accomplishments for the Secretary of Finance's domestic and international engagements, in collaboration with other DOF offices; d. Prepare detailed implementation plans for the priority fiscals reforms in support of inclusive grwoth, monitor the progress of identified priority programs and mitigate any emerging risks; and e. Build fiscal reform coalitions with the public sector, private sector and civil society organizations to help deliver the priority programs. The SRO shall be organized into Project Teams, each to be headed by a Project Manager to implement the engagement strategy to key public influencers in the government, civil society and media in order to pursue and gain support for any proposed fiscal reforms. 2. Fiscal Economics Research Office (FERO) - The FERO shall have the following functions: a. Research on and analyze priority rograms to ensure that fiscal policies and reforms translate to fiscal sustainability, inclusive growth, job creation and poverty reduction; b. Simulate the economic impact of strategic tax reforms and other fiscal initiatives; c. Monitor and report economic and fiscal risks and prospects for the country and provide just-in-time technical notes to the Secretary of Finance; d. Analyze the equity and economic impact of various fiscal-related proposals of the legislature, industry associations, civil society and other stakeholders, and assess which ones are progressive and equitable proposals; and e. Discuss and collaborate with development partners, investors and rating agencies to enhance market confidence in the economy. The FERO shall be organized into Divisions, each to be headed by a Division Chief, which shall conduct the technical policy studies on specific reform areas. Section 4. Personnel and Staffing Complement. The SERG shall be composed of organic personnel, subject to approval of the Department of Budget and management (DBM), upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance. The staffing complement shall be augmented and reinforced by existing DOF personnel as well as those detailed or seconded from other agencies, whether attached to DOF or not. In addition, upon approval of the Secretary of Finance, SERG may hire or engage technical consultants to provide necessary support in the performance of its mandate. Section 5. Period of Existence. The presence of SERG as a specialized group in the DOF shall be co-terminous with the tenure of the Secretary of Finance under the current Administration.ℒαwρhi৷ Section 6. Implementing Guidelines and Procedures. The Secretary of Finance is hereby authorized to issue guidelines and prescribe procedures to enable SERG to effectively exercise its powers and discharge the functions herein provided, to guide the general public and to enhance transparency and accountability. Section 7. Funding. The funds necessary to implement this Executive Order shall be sourced from the available appropriations in the annual General Appropriations Act, subject to pertinent budgeting and accounting laws, rules and regulations. The Secretary of Finance may also vail of international financing, such as grants and loans, for the delivery of the mandate of SERG. Section 8. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting. Section 9. Repeal. All orders, issuances, proclamations, rules, regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. Section 10. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately. DONE, in the City of Manila, this 28th day of June in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Seventeen. (SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE By the President: (SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA Executive Secretary The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation