WHEREAS, the government is committed to pursue its policy of decentralization, as embodied in the Local Government Code of 1991, as much as it is committed to streamline the bureaucracy by adopting a homogenous grouping of functionally-related government agencies;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 149 dated 28 December 1993 transferred the Kalinga Special Development Authority (KSDA) to the Department of National Defense (DND) for policy and program coordination/integration and/or administrative supervision prior to its eventual abolition;

WHEREAS, in the course of the KSDA's attachment to the DND, it has been observed that the thrust, functions, and activities of the KSDA are not aligned with the thrust, functions, and activities of the DND;

WHEREAS, the KSDA and the CEB-CAR share the same objective of hastening the economic growth and development of Kalinga;

WHEREAS, the CEB-CAR attested to its functional alignment with the KSDA through a resolution wherein it expressed its willingness to assume supervision and control of the KSDA;

WHEREAS, there is an immediate need to transfer the KSDA from the DND to the CEB-CAR to effect the mainstreaming of the current programs and projects of the KSDA with those of existing government instrumentalities in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) prior to the abolition of the KSDA; and

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987, provides continuing authority to the President to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the power vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. DISPOSITIVE ACTION. - The KSDA is hereby transferred from the DND to the CEB-CAR shall prepare and effect the eventual abolition of the KSDA.

SECTION 2. SCOPE OF TRANSFER. - The transfer shall include the KSDA's functions, records, equipment, facilities, assets and liabilities, personnel, and remaining 1996 appropriation for personnel services. The CEB-CAR shall use the funds allocated to KSDA from the 1996 budget of the DND.

SECTION 3. MODE OF TRANSFER. - The CEB-CAR shall immediately prepare and subsequently implement a Function Rationalization and Integration Plan (FRIP) to complete the abolition of the KSDA, as previously contemplated under Executive Order No. 149.

SECTION 4. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. - In the event that any provisions of this Executive Order is declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected.

SECTION 5. REPEALING CLAUSE. - All executive orders, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof that shall be inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive order are hereby either revoked or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVITY. - This Executive Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least one (1) national newspaper of general publication (sic).

Adopted: 16 April 1996


By the President:

(SGD.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary