WHEREAS, Section 14, Article X of the Philippine Constitution provides that "the President shall provide for regional development councils or other similar bodies composed of local government officials, regional heads of department, and other government offices, and representatives from non-governmental organizations within the regions for purposes of administrative decentralization to strengthen the autonomy of the units therein and to accelerate the economic and social growth and development of the units in the region";

WHEREAS, Section 33, Article 3, Chapter 3 of the Local Government Code provides that "local government units may through appropriate ordinances, group themselves, consolidate, or coordinate their efforts, services, and resources for purposes commonly beneficial to them";

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Iloilo Development Council (MIDC) was created through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) date 9 February 2001 by the City of Iloilo, based on voluntary, consensus-based and collaborative approaches in integrated area development that is focused on six areas of collaboration, namely: Basic Services Delivery, Environmental Management, Public Safety and Security, Land Use Management, Infrastructure Development, and Economic Promotion and Development;

WHEREAS, the Guimaras-Iloilo City alliance (GICA) was also similarly created through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) entered into by Iloilo City and the Province of Guimaras on 22 May 2005 to effect mutually beneficial economic development with special focus on tourism and infrastructure development with special foucus on road and port systems improvements;

WHEREAS, the Municipality of Santa Barbara, which hosts the new Iloilo Airport of International standards, has similarly recognized the importance of inter-modal transportation links and tourism development to overall economic development;

WHEREAS, the Local Government Units involved recognize the need to collaborate on certain specific areas in order to speed-up the economic and tourism development of the area;

WHEREAS, the National Government has recently unveiled during the 6^th State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a massive investment program to sustain economic growth, speed progress to all areas of the country through the Mega-Region Economic Development Strategy and propel the Philippines to the "First World" status and through such development strategy, make funds available through the Medium-Term Public Investment Program (MTPIP);

WHEREAS, for Central Philippines, where Western Visayas belongs, tourism has been identified as an inherent competitive edge and priority area for investments;

WHEREAS, the success of the Mega-Region Economic Development Strategy will depend highly on the effectiveness of the inter-local government cooperation that are already existing and functioning within the regions which can support the developmental thrusts of the National Government;

WHEREAS, as existing and functional regional work alliances, the MIDC and GICA may be further merged and expanded to help realize the goals and objectives of the Mega-Region Economic Development Strategy through economies of scale.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law and the Constitution, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Metro Iloilo-Guimaras economic development Council (MIGEDC), hereinafter referred to as the Council, is hereby created. The Council shall formulate, coordinate and monitor programs, projects and activities for the acceleration of the economic growth and development of the City of Iloilo, the Municipalities of Oton, San Miguel, Pavia, Leganes, and Sta. Barbara, all of the Province of Iloilo, and the entire Province of Guimaras, in support to the Mega-Regiion Economic Development Strategy of the National Government.

SECTION 2. The Council shall be composed of the following:

1. Mayor, Iloilo City as Chairperson
   
2. Provincial Governor, Province of Guimaras as Co-Chairperson
   
3. Mayor, Municipality of Pavia, Iloilo
   
4. Mayor, Municipality of San Miguel, Iloilo
   
5. Mayor, Municipality of Oton, Iloilo
   
6. Mayor, Municipality of Leganes, Iloilo
   
7. Mayor, Municipality of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo
   
8. President, League of Municipalities, Province of Guimaras

SECTION 3. In the discharge of its functions, the Council shall ensure appropriate coordination with the Regional Development Council (RDC) VI and other relevant local development councils.

SECTION 4. All departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including government-owned or controlled corporations and government financial institutions, are hereby directed to extend their full assistance to the Council in support of its programs, projects and activities.

SECTION 5. All executive orders, rules, regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 28th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.


By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary