WHEREAS , the Nayong Pilipino Foundation, Inc. through Presidential Decree No. 37, issued on May 21, 1969 was created primarily to promote Philippine Art and Culture, aims principally to undertake, promote, encourage and initiate the development of projects in social sciences and humanities and established parks and recreation centers for the promotion of tourism;

WHEREAS , the NPF encountered financial difficulties constraining its performance or corporate mandates, adversely affecting its programs and projects to enshrine the rich National Heritage of the Filipino through the authentic depiction of customs and traditions of natural and historical legacies;

WHEREAS , the Board of Trustees per Resolution No. 65-122297, in line with the government ™s thrust to streamline the bureaucracy, approved to reduce its manpower complement from 214 plantilla positions to only 88 positions;

WHEREAS , pursuant to Section 29, Chapter 5, Book V, Executive Order No. 292, series of 1987, an entity can reduce its workforce when it has no more fund to sustain its operations; and,

WHEREAS , consistent with Section 77, 78 and 79 of Republic Act No. 8745, the General Appropriations Act of 1999, the President has been authorized to direct the reorganization of any department or agency and/or the scaling down or phasing out of their activities, as may be necessary;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA , President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested on me by law, do hereby order the streamlining of the NPF, as follows:

SECTION 1. Objectives. The streamlining shall be taken within the overall context of redeveloping the area and improve the quality of service the park offers to the public. It is aimed to improve NPF operations to enable the agency to become more purposive in the pursuance of its visions and goals.

SEC. 2. Refocusing of Operations. NPF envisions a total Cultural Park and a living microcosm of Philippine culture, tradition and natural legacies, where a visitor may see a virtual image of the actual region, its traditional festivals, customs and ways of life. To attain the mission/vision of NPF and a well maintained cultural park, the strategy to encourage linkages with local government units and with business partners who can contribute to the redevelopment of the cultural park will be adopted.

SEC. 3. Organization and Staffing Modification. On the basis of the agency ™s refocusing of core functions, the NPF shall be authorized to realign operations, reorganize or modify its structure to come up with a more responsive, effective and efficient organizational machinery to implement government policies, plans and programs for the promotion of Philippines culture and arts. The NPF shall likewise realign its positions or staffing pattern corresponding to the new structure. Within the context of the recommendation of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the NPF shall be allowed only with eighty-eight (88) positions. The NPF restructuring and staffing modification shall be subject to the approval of the DBM.

SEC. 4. Early Retirement Incentive Package (ERIP). An ERIP shall be provided to those who may want to voluntarily retire or separated from the service to pave the way for streamlining; those whose positions will be phased-out or declared redundant as a result of the streamlining; and those whose qualification will not reach the government standards. The ERIP shall cover all regular employees of the NPF who have rendered at least one year of continuous service with the agency.

SEC. 5. Transitory Provisions. The following provision shall serve to guide implementation in the interim period:

1. The incumbent officials and employees of the NPF shall continue to exercise their respective functions, duties and responsibilities with corresponding benefits and privileges unless and until otherwise ordered by the Executive Director.

2. Employees who may opt to reject assignments or appointments in the new realigned positions shall receive retirement benefits to which they may be entitled to receive under existing laws. Otherwise, they may be paid the equivalent of one month for every year of service, computed based on the highest salary received pursuant to RA No. 6656.

SEC. 6. Funding. A funding assistance will be provided by the National Government to NPF for the purpose of ERIP. The fund shall be taken from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund of the 1999 General Appropriations Act. To achieve programming of the fund, the release of the financial assistance shall be on reimbursement scheme and only after the DBM has approved the NPF ™s streamlining proposal.

SEC. 7. Reporting Requirement and Timetable. In fulfillment of the above provisions, the NPF shall submit its compliance to the President through the DBM within 90 days from the date of the effectivity of this Executive Order.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect one day after its publication in a newspaper of national circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 31st day of July, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Nine.

(SGD.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) RAMON B. CARDENAS
Acting Executive Secretary