WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 16, Book III of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive Order No. 292), the President shall exercise the power to appoint officials as provided for in the Constitution and laws;

WHEREAS, the conduct of effective foreign policy often calls for the appointment/designation of persons with expertise and experience to undertake special tasks or address certain issues, notably in international economic affairs.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. This Executive Order shall be known as the œRules Governing the Appointment/Designation and Conduct of Special Envoys.

SECTION 2. The appointment/designation of special envoy shall be accompanied by an express statement of the terms of reference of said appointment/designation to be coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs, which shall include, among others, its specific mission and duration.

SECTION 3. Special envoy appointment/designation shall be defined and categorized as follows:

1. specific mission or purpose
2. specific act or event
3. specific duration or period

Unless otherwise specified in the special envoy appointment/designation paper or its terms of reference, the appointment/designation shall automatically expire upon the completion of the task or objective for which the mission, purpose, act or event was directed, or upon the termination of the duration or period indicated.

SECTION 4. Special envoy appointment/designation shall be for a specific and expressly stated mission or purpose, or specified act or event. Unless the special envoy appointed/designated is an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs or of another department or agency, said mission, purpose or act shall not overlap with the regular functions of the Department of Foreign Affairs and/or the Foreign Service or that of the other concerned department or agency, or its attach services.

SECTION 5. Special envoy appointment/designation shall contain a specific duration or period, or otherwise, a target date for the completion of the mission, purpose, act or event. Upon the expiry of the said appointment/designation, a subsequent appointment/designation shall be required for it to be considered renewed.

SECTION 6. The title œSpecial Envoy  shall be used only for the duration of the mission, purpose, act or event.

SECTION 7. A duly appointed/designated special envoy may be entitled to the use of diplomatic or official passport, at the discretion of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Said diplomatic or official passport shall be used only for the duration of the mission. Once the appointment/designation expires or lapses pursuant to the Sec. 3 or 5 above, the diplomatic or official passport may be renewed only upon the presentation of a new appointment/designation paper.

SECTION 8. Unless by virtue of his rank or the nature of the mission he is to report directly to the President, the special envoy shall report and perform his mission under the supervision of the following:

1. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs and
2. The Head of the Diplomatic or Consular Post where the mission will be carried out.

SECTION 9. The special envoy shall submit an accomplishment or progress report regarding the mission to the President through the Secretary of Foreign Affairs or the head of other concerned department or agency, within thirty (30) days upon the completion of the mission or term, or every six months, in case said mission or term exceed the latter period. The report should contain the salient points of the mission and his recommendations for follow-up action.

SECTION 10. All appointments/designations as Special Envoy are considered expired subject to renewal based on specific mission, purpose, act or event and for a limited period of time not exceeding six (6) months.

SECTION 11. All executive order, rules and regulations, resolutions, memorandum circulars, and office memoranda inconsistent with these rules are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. Should any provision of this Executive order be held invalid, the remainder hereof shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 12. This Executive Order shall become effective fifteen (15) days after publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila this 20th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.

By the President

(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary