WHEREAS, the reduction in duty on the finished product to a level lower than its raw material created a distortion which adversely affected the operation and viability of the local manufacturer of tinplate;

WHEREAS, the local manufacturer has infused substantial amount of capital in its expansion and modernization program to meet competition under a liberalized trade regime;

WHEREAS, there is a need to rectify existing distortion in the tariff structure and allow the local manufacturer a reasonable time to position its product in the market on equal footing with imports;

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

SECTION 1. The following articles under Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code, as amended, shall have rates of import duty in accordance with the schedule indicated opposite each article as listed below:

HDG. NO.	HARMONIZED SYSTEM CODE	DESCRIPTION	Rate of Duty, (%)
			1 January
			1997	1998	1999	2000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)
72.10		Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width of 600 mm or more, clad, plated or coated.
		- Plated or coated with tin:
	7210.11 00	- - Of a thickness of 0.5 mm or more	10	3	3	3
	7210.12 00	- - Of a thickness of less than 0.5 mm	10	3	3	3
	7210.20	- x x x
	7210.20 10	- - - x x x
	7210.20 90	- - - x x x
	7210.30	- x x x
	7210.30 10	- - - x x x
	7210.30 90	- - - x x x
		- x x x
	7210.41	- - x x x
	7210.41 10	- - - x x x
	7210.41 90	- - - x x x
	7210.49	- - x x x
	7210.49 10	- - - x x x
	7210.49 90	- - - x x x
	7210.50 00	- Plated or coated with chromium oxides or with chromium and chromium oxides	10	3	3	3
		- x x x
	7210.61	- - x x x
	7210.61 10	- - -x x x
	7210.61 90	- - - x x x
	7210.69	- - x x x
	7210.69 10	- - - x x x
	7210.69 90	- - - x x x
	7210.70	- x x x
	7210.70 10	- - - x x x
	7210.70 90	- - - x x x
	7210.70 91	- - - - x x x
	7210.70 92	- - - - x x x
	7210.70 99	- - - - x x x
	7210.90	- x x x
	7210.90 10	- - - x x x
	7210.90 90	- - - x x x
	72.12	Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width of less than 600 mm, clad, plated or coated.
	7212.10 00	- Plated or coated with tin	10	3	3	3
	7212.20	- x x x
	7212.20 10	- - - x x x
	7212.20 90	- - - x x x
	7212.30	- x x x
	7212.30 10	- - - x x x
	7212.30 90	- - - x x x
	7212.40	- x x x
	7212.40 10	- - - x x x
	7212.40 90	- - - x x x
	7212.40 91	- - - - x x x
	7212.40 99	- - - - x x x
	7212.50	- x x x
	7212.50 10	- - - x x x
	7212.50 20	- - - x x x
	7212.50 90	- - - x x x
	7212.60	- x x x
	7212.60 10	- - - x x x
	7212.60 90	- - - x x x

SEC. 2. The nomenclature and the rates of import duty on tariff headings not enumerated and those listed but represented by the symbol œx x x  shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 3. Upon the effectivity of this Executive Order, the abovementioned articles which are entered or withdrawn from warehouses in the Philippines for consumption shall be levied the rates of duty herein prescribed.

SEC. 4. All presidential issuances, administrative rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby revoked or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. This Executive Order shall take effect upon complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 21st day of July in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven.

(SGD.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

By the President:

(SGD.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary