Pursuant to Republic Act No. 7901 entitled " AN ACT CREATING REGION XIII TO BE KNOWN AS THE CARAGA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES" and integrated regional office organized on a department-wide basis in accordance with Section 22 and 26 , Chapter 5 of Executive Order No. 292, is hereby operationalized in the CARAGA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, in which the functional areas of land transportation (LTO), telecommunications (TELOF) and franchising and regulation (LTFRB) shall be represented, subject to the following guidelines:

1. The aforesaid integrated regional office, hereinafter referred to as the DOTC Regional Office, shall be located in Butuan City.

2. Provincial and district offices of the DOTC Regional Office may be established only by law whenever necessary (Sec. 21, Chapter 5, Book IV, E.O. No. 292). District offices may be established only in cases of clear necessity (Sec. 26, Ibid).

3. The respective district offices under the regional offices of LTO, LTFRB and the TELOF, if any, in Regions X and XI that are located in Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte, and the cities of Butuan and Surigao are hereby transferred to, and shall henceforth function as district offices of the DOTC Regional Office in the Caraga Administrative Region.

4. Accordingly, the corresponding personnel, records, applicable funds and appropriations, equipment, property and other administrative matters pertaining to said district offices or the Caraga Administrative Region tat are kept, held , possessed or otherwise under the control or administration of the regional offices in Regions X and XI are likewise hereby transferred to and placed under the DOTC Regional Office in Region XIII.

5. Subject to the approval of the President, the balances of appropriations which are available and necessary to finance or discharge the functions or activity transferred to Regional XIII (Caraga Administrative Region) from Region X and XI are hereby transferred to, and are made available for the use of, Region XIII. For this purpose, the transferred balances are hereby credited to existing or new appropriation account. (Section 42, Book VI, EO No. 292)

6. Salary adjustments resulting from the final selection of personnel to fill the positions in the staffing pattern of Region XIII are hereby authorized subject to the approval of the Secretary of Budget and Management (Ibid).

7. The DOTC Regional Office shall:

1. implement laws, policies, plans, programs, projects, rules and regulations of the Department relevant to their respective functions;
   
   
2. provide economical, efficient and effective service to the people in the areas;
   
   
3. coordinate with regional offices of other departments, bureaus and agencies in the area;
   
   
4. coordinate with local government units in the area; and
   
   
5. perform such other functions as may be provided by law. (Sec. 14, Chapter 4, Title XV, E.O. No. 292).
   

8. The DOTC Regional Office shall be headed by a Regional Director who may be assisted by one Director, except as may by law. (Section 23, Chapter 5, Book IV, EO No. 292).

The Regional Director shall be responsible for department or agency functions performed in the regional under his jurisdiction (Ibid) and shall have the following duties:

1. implement laws, policies, rules and regulations within the responsibility of the agency;
   
   
2. implement agency programs in the region;
   
   
3. exercise the management functions of planning, organizing, directing and organizing;
   
   
4. appoint personnel to positions in the first level and casual and seasonal employees; and exercise disciplinary actions over them in accordance with Civil Service law. (Sec. 27, Chapter 4, Title XV, EO No. 292)
   

9. The DOTC Regional Office shall hear and decide uncontested applications/petitions for routes, within the Caraga Administrative Region but applications/petitions for routes extending beyond its territorial jurisdiction shall be heard and decided by the board (LTFRB) [Section 21, Chapter 5, Title XV, EO No. 292].

The LTO, LTFRB and TELOF Regional Offices in Regions X and XI are hereby directed to make the proper turn over of the records, personnel, funds, appropriations, equipment and other properties belonging to Region XIII (Caraga Administrative Region) subject to compliance with accounting and auditing regulations. Further, employees of district offices of LTO LTFRB and TELOF, if any, within the Caraga Administrative Region who are presently assigned to or detailed with Regions X and XI are hereby directed to return and report immediately to the respective heads of their regional offices in Butuan City. Employees presently assigned to or detailed with the Caraga Administrative Region whose plantilla positions belong to Regions X and XI are likewise are likewise directed to return and report to their respective regional offices.

This Order shall take effect immediately. All Orders, Memoranda and other issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Strict compliance herewith is enjoined.

Adopted: 15 Jan. 1996