WHEREAS, there is a need to strengthen staff support for the President which would enable him to perform his task as chief executive of the government more effectivity;

WHEREAS, it would be desirable to provide the President with an efficient system of staff assistance along clearly distinct functional areas of government; and

WHEREAS, to achieve this, it would be necessary to effect changes in the administrative system for providing staff support to the President.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree as follows:

1. The positions of Executive Secretary, Deputy Executive Secretary, and Assistant Executive Secretary in the office of the President are abolished.
2. There are hereby created such number of positions of Presidential Assistants as may be necessary, including the following:

1. Presidential Assistant for Legal Affairs who shall be responsible for providing staff assistance to the President on legal matters;
2. Presidential Assistant for Economic and Development Affairs who shall be responsible for providing staff assistance to the President on economic and development matters;
3. Presidential Assistant for Financial and Monetary Affairs who shall be responsible for providing staff assistance to the President on financial and monetary matters; and
4. Presidential Assistant for Budget and Fiscal Affairs who shall be responsible for providing staff assistance to the President on budgetary and fiscal matters; and
5. Presidential Assistant for General Government who shall be responsible for providing staff assistance to the President on general government matters.

3. The Presidential Assistants shall report and be responsible directly to the President.
4. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 27th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.