WHEREAS, the National Development Summit held on 8-9 June 1997 adopted a Pole-Vaulting Strategy which will make our country ™s development from hereon citius (faster), fortius (stronger), and altius (higher);

WHEREAS, the Pole-Vaulting Strategy builds on the confidence gained over the past five years in putting our house in order and starts the long process of building a new home for the succeeding generations of Filipinos;

WHEREAS, part of the process of building a new home for our people is the establishment of a new city which will be the Capital City of a new and better Philippines in the 21st Century;

WHEREAS, with the rapid developments in telecommunications, multi-media, construction, and knowledge-based technologies, the Filipino people deserve a New Capital City that will reflect these changes in the global community;

WHEREAS, a New Capital City for the Philippines in the 21st century should be ecologically sound, aesthetically pleasing, culturally affirming, and utilizing high-technology (intelligent city);

WHEREAS, it would be in the best interest of our people if the New Capital City could also serve as a physical and cultural symbol of renewal, excellence and new-found pride, and a model for the development of similar potential areas in the future; and

WHEREAS, toward the integrated and harmonious planning for a New Capital City for the Philippines in the 21st century, there is need to constitute a Task Force that would ensure the active participation of the government and the private sector.

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. CREATION OF A PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND PLAN FOR A NEW CAPITAL CITY FOR THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 21ST CENTURY. There is hereby created a Presidential Task Force to Formulate a New Capital City for the Philippines, hereinafter referred to as the œTask Force .

SEC. 2. COMPOSITION. The Task Force shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and composed of representatives of the following:

a. Office of the President;
b. Department of the Interior and Local Government;
c. Department of Trade and Industry;
d. Department of Transportation and Communications;
e. Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
f. Department of Budget and Management;
g. Department of Science and Technology;
h. National Economic and Development Authority;
i. Presidential Management Staff;
j. National Youth Commission;
k. Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council;
l. University of the Philippines;
m. Concerned Local Government Executives to be identified by the Task Force; and
n. Ten (10) representatives from the private sector/non-government organizations to be appointed by the Chairman.

SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS. The Task Force shall have the following powers, functions, duties and responsibilities:

a.	Establish the conceptual framework and parameters and prepare the terms of reference for planning for a New Capital City for the Philippines in the 21st Century;
b.	Determine criteria for identification of potential sites for the New Capital City and prepare a short-list of viable sites guided by the following characteristics, among others:
	i)	strategically located
	ii)	has potential to attract human resource base and accommodate basic infrastructure facilities
	iii)	ecologically balanced
c.	Adopt a process of maximum consultation with all concerned sectors to ensure that their needs, concerns and ideas are considered;
d.	Submit regular progress reports to the President; and
e.	Perform such other tasks as may be instructed by the President.

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. The Task Force is hereby authorized to call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the national government, including government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), for such assistance as it may need in the discharge of its functions.

SEC. 5. SECRETARIAT SUPPORT. The Department of Public Works and Highways shall provide secretariat support to the Task Force.

SEC. 6. FUNDING. Funds for the operations of the Task Force shall be taken from the President ™s Contingent Fund or from other sources to be determined by the Department of Budget and Management.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVITY. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 10th day of June, in the Year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary