WHEREAS, Administrative Order (AO) No. 109, series of 2000 created the Office of the Chief of Staff (OCS) and further defined the OCS' functions relative to the supervision of the day-to-day operational support to the President;

WHEREAS, Administrative Order (AO) No. 111, series of 2000 amended AO No. 109, further providing additional functions to the OCS and placing under its supervision certain offices within the Office of the President;

WHEREAS, there is need to further streamline the functions of offices therein and improve the procedures within the Office of the President;

WHEREAS, under Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of the Administrative Code of 1987, the President has the continuing authority to reorganize His Office;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order the following:

SECTION 1.       Abolishing the Office of the Chief of Staff and Transferring its Functions to the Office of the Executive Secretary. - The Office of the Chief of Staff is hereby abolished and its functions as provided in Administrative Order No. 111 series of 2000 is hereby transferred to the Office of the Executive Secretary to be performed by the Senior Deputy Executive Secretary. These functions include the following:

1.1  Managing the day to day schedule of the President by determining and recommending to the President the activities which shall be personally attended by the President;

1.2  Coordinating with all concerned offices and agencies and ensuring adequate preparation, both substantive and administrative, in the conduct of Presidential activities;

1.3  Coordinating presidential trips and visits; and

1.4  Coordinating the activities of and supervising the following offices within the Office of the President, without diminution of their respective powers and functions: Appointments Office, Documents Management Group, Office of the Presidential Assistant for Socials, Office of the Chief of the Protocol Affairs, and Correspondence Office.

SECTION 2.       Transferring the Supervision Function of the Chief of Staff Over the Presidential Management Staff to the Executive Secretary . - The powers and functions of the Executive Secretary and the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) shall continue to be exercised pursuant to the Administrative Code of 1987. Pursuant thereto, the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) shall be under the supervision of the Executive Secretary. The PMS shall continue to serve as the government agency responsible to the President for providing substantive staff assistance in the presidential exercise of overall management of the development process, pursuant to Executive Order No. 130, series of 1987, and other related issuances.

SECTION 3.       Repealing Clause. - All issuances, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Administrative Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4.       Effectivity . - This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 23 March 2000

BY THE PRESIDENT:

(SGD.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary