WHEREAS, many transportation projects are currently in various stages of implementation with different proponents pursuing different modes of execution;

WHEREAS, several agencies of government, such as the Bases Conversion Development Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Public Estate Authority, are authorized by their charters or enabling laws to pursue transportation development projects on their own;

WHEREAS, there is a need to coordinate the planning and implementation of major transportation projects to ensure that they are consistent with the overall development objectives and priorities and that they promote the efficient use of scarce resources;

WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is the primary planning, programming, coordinating and implementing agency of the government for transportation development;

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 the following:

SECTION 1. Pursuant to the provisions of Executive Order No. 125 and 125-A, the Department of Transportation and Communications is hereby affirmed to be the primary coordinating, development and implementing agency for transportation projects including ports, airports and railways. This affirmation is without prejudice to the role of the Metro Manila Development Authority as the planning, monitoring and coordinating authority involving the delivery of metro-wide services within Metro Manila and the autonomy of Local Government Units concerning purely local matters.

SECTION 2. The DOTC shall maintain a master plan for each mode of transportation that shall serve as the framework for the development plans of related agencies. Concerned agencies shall submit any specific major transportation project proposal to the DOTC to ensure that it is consistent with the approved master plans. Major projects shall be defined as projects for the construction or installation of new facilities for funding under foreign Official Development Assistance for implementation as BOT-type projects, or locally-funded projects with costs of more than P300 million.

SECTION 3. The DOTC shall promulgate guidelines to implement this Order for dissemination to all concerned agencies within one (1) month from its issuance.

SECTION 4. All issuances inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Adopted: 22 Sept. 1997

BY THE PRESIDENT:

(SGD.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary