WHEREAS, as a result of the continuing reorganization of the government, there is a need to rationalize the use of certain government properties to maximize savings;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 82, Article IX of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is created for the efficient and effective law enforcement of all the provisions on dangerous drugs and/or precursor and essential chemicals as provided in the Act;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 77, Article IX of RA 9165, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) is reconstituted as the policy-making and strategy-formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control;

WHEREAS, in order to carry out their functions effectively and efficiently, the PDEA and the DDB need a National Office that is highly accessible to their clientele and other government agencies concerned, and at the same time, cost effective and falls within the allocated budget;

WHEREAS, the Philippine National Police has decided to return the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to its original camp in Taguig, Metro Manila thereby vacating the Economic Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (EIIB) Building located at the National Government Center, Diliman, Quezon City, which was turned over to the PNP by the Department of Finance (DOF) by virtue of Executive Order No. 321 dated 21 November 2000;

WHEREAS, considering that the EIIB Building is strategically located and accessible to all agencies that the PDEA and the DDB closely coordinate with, it is most practical for the PDEA and the DDB to occupy said EIIB Building;

WHEREAS, there is a need to amend Executive Order No. 321 s. 2000, to facilitate and authorize the transfer of the PDEA and the DDB to the EIIB Building;

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. The EIIB Building and land located at the National Government Center, Quezon City and presently occupied by the PNP-NCRPO is hereby transferred to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), which shall assume all outstanding obligations for the purchase of the lot from the National Housing Authority, as well as other liabilities for improvements introduced thereon. The Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), National Housing Authority (NHA) and the PDEA shall work on the appropriate scheme for the settlement of the assumed obligations of the PDEA in accordance with existing guidelines governing the settlement of accounts subsisting between agencies of the government as prescribed under Executive Order No. 739 s. 1981 and contemplated under Section 34 of the State Audit Code.

SEC. 2. One floor of said EIIB Building shall be allocated to the DDB as its office on a cost-sharing basis provided that ownership of the Building shall remain with the PDEA.

SEC. 3. The equipment, furniture and fixtures found in the EIIB compound, which the DOF, its bureaus and attached agencies no longer need and which are presently on loan to PNP-NCRPO for temporary use, shall be officially transferred by the DOF to the PDEA without cost after the conduct of physical inventory has been completed and recorded in the DOF book of accounts.

SEC. 4. The following properties formerly used as EIIB Regional Offices and which are now in the possession of the DOF shall be transferred to the PDEA within a period of ten (10) years for use of the PDEA's field offices and units:

1. Land and building formerly occupied by EIIB Regional Office No.1, located at Camp Diego Silang, San Fernando, La Uniori:
2. Land and building formerly occupied by EIIB CAR Regional Office, located at Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet;
3. Land and building formerly occupied by EIIB Regional Office No. V, located at Camp Gen. Simeon Ola, Legaspi City;
4. Land and building formerly occupied by EIIB Regional Office No. VI, located at Camp Delgado, Iloilo City;
5. Land and building formerly occupied by EIIB Regional Office No. VII, located at Camp Sergio Osmena, Cebu City; and
6. Land and building formerly occupied by EIIB Regional Office No. XI, located at Camp Domingo Leonor, Davao City;

SEC. 5. The amount of Ten Million Pesos (P10,000.000.00) is hereby authorized to be set aside and released to the PDEA from the President's Contingent Fund and/or other available sources to be used for the repair, rehabilitation, improvement, and furnishings of the aforesaid properties to be transferred to the PDEA. Subsequent appropriations shall be incorporated in the regular budgetary allocation of the PDEA.

However, PNP funds shall be tapped to cover expenditures for the repair/development of the PNP NCRPO headquarters in Taguig, Metro Manila.

SEC. 6. The DOF, DBM, NHA, PNP and the PDEA shall formulate necessary guidelines and policies to implement this Order.

SEC. 7. Executive Order No. 321, s. 2000, is hereby amended accordingly.

SEC. 8. This Executive Order takes effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 14th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Three.

By the President:

(Sgd.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO
Executive Secretary