WHEREAS, Article X, Section 14, of the Constitution provides that the President shall create regional development councils (RDCs) and other similar bodies composed of local officials, regional heads of departments and other government offices and representatives from non-governmental organizations within the regions;

WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 325, series of 1996, provides for the organization structure of the RDCs which includes the Department of Tourism;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 384, further amending EO 325 which institutionalizes labor sector representation in the RDCs failed to include DOT as a regular member of the RDC;

WHEREAS, the inclusion of DOT as a regular member of the RDC was deemed crucial considering the need to harness the role of DOT in regional development and physical planning;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by the powers vested in me by law, hereby amend Executive Order No. 384, series of 1996, particularly Section 1, (par. f), thereof, to read as follows:

Section 1. (par. f) œthe regional directors of agencies represented in the National Economic and Development Board (NEDA, DAR, DA, DBM, DENR, DOF, DFA, DOH, DILG, DOLE, DPWH, DOST, DTI, DOTC, BSP) and the regional directors of DECS, DSWD and DOT .

Section 2. Repealing Clause. All previous issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 3. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of September 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