WHEREAS, there is a need to institutionalize and enhance further, and carry out to the highest possible standard, the administration, management and promotion of the built heritage and the artistic, historical and cultural collection of the Office of the President, which is currently the mandate and responsibility of the Malacanang Museum, an organic office of the Office of the President.

WHEREAS, the National Museum, by virtue of Republic Act No. 8492, is tasked with the objective of taking the lead, as a cultural center, in the study and preservation of the nation ™s rich artistic and cultural heritage, in the reconstruction and rebuilding of our past, and the development of the national cultural wealth (Section 6.3), and has the duties and functions to collect, preserve, restore and exhibit to the public objects of arts (Section 7,10);

WHEREAS, the President of the Philippines has the continuing authority to reorganize the National Government as provided by EO No. 292, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987.

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

SECTION 1. The Malacanang Museum

a. The Malacanang Museum shall be placed under the supervision of the National Museum for museological and related policy purposes, but shall remain under the Office of the President for administrative and budgetary purposes;

b. The Malacanang Museum shall administer for, Museum and other purposes approved by the President of the Philippines, the following structures and their associated grounds: Kalayaan Hall, the old cafeteria building, the Boat House, the Goldenberg Mansion and Teus Mansion, the Laperal Mansion (formerly Arlegui Guest House), the Valdes Mansion, Bahay Ugnayan and the Watson Building, the second floor of which shall be made available to the National Museum for purposes of perpetuating the memory and work of Dr. Henry Otley Beyer, as well as any heritage or other structure or space designated by the President;

c. The Malacanang Museum shall continue to carry out its mandate as stated in the Reorganization Plan of the Office of the President, as well as any other duties and responsibilities designated by the President;

d. The Malacanang Museum, in the pursuit of its mandate shall, subject to available resources, establish branch museum at the mansion House in Baguio City, Malacanang sa Sugbu in Cebu City and curate the Presidential Yacht BRP Pag-Asa in coordination with the Philippine Navy.

SECTION 2. The Presidential Special Collection

a. All properties, defined here as movable objects and items, of the Office of the President, possessing significant artistic, historical and cultural value, shall collectively be known as the Presidential Special Collection, hereafter referred to as the œCollection ;

b. The content and scope of the collection shall be studied and recommended by the Malacanang Museum and National Museum and submitted by the Board of Trustees of the National Museum for the approval of the President;

c. After the approval by the President, the properties recommended for inclusion in the Collection shall cease to be properties of the Office of the President and, in line with pertinent regulations and procedures, become properties of the National Museum, upon which the National Museum shall have the primary responsibility of conserving, managing and administering the Collection in conformity with this Executive Order;

d. The Office of the President, through the Malacanang Museum, shall have priority in accessing any item of the collection through temporary, extended or permanent loan for appropriate display and use in any structure officially used by the President, or for official purposes, subject to the appropriate guidelines of the National Museum, and likewise, any items of the Collection, not in use by the Office of the President, at any time, shall be appropriately displayed, stored or otherwise managed by the National Museum;

e. The National Museum may add any other of its properties as may appropriately belong in the Collection for historical, thematic or other reasons, for purposes of enhancement and rationalization, and likewise the Office of the President, through the Malacanang Museum, may add further properties to the Collection as these are required or identified, upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum.

SECTION 3. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

(SGD.) GLORIA M. ARROYO

  BY THE PRESIDENT:

  (SGD.) LEANDRO R. MENDOZA
  Executive Secretary