WHEREAS, it has been a declared policy of the state to pursue an all-out war against poverty and to improve the quality of life of every Filipino as embodied in Philippines 2000 and the Philippine Medium Term Development Plan;

WHEREAS, the Social Reform Agenda (SRA), as the operationalization of the people empowerment track of the Philippines 2000, has been expanded to become the Integrated National Action Agenda on Anti-Poverty as adopted during the National anti-Poverty Summit held last 19-20 March 1996;

WHEREAS, the SRA addresses the problems of the poorest sectors of our society, including vendors who form part of the disadvantaged workers in the Informal Sector;

WHEREAS, consistent with the tenets of Social Reform, there is an urgent need to protect the vendors from being deprived of their livelihood as well as the rights of consumers and citizens from any negative effects that the vending industry may have on the environment and on the welfare of the public in general.

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 adoption of the guidelines that will ensure the security of registered vendors in the workplace:

SECTION 1. Creation and Composition of the Inter-Agency Council on the Security of Registered Vendors. - An Inter-Agency Council on the Security of Registered Vendors, hereinafter referred to as the Council, is hereby created to formulate and implement policies and programs that will provide security to registered vendors in the workplace nationwide. The Council shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and composed of representatives of the following:

a. Philippine National Police (PNP);

b. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI);

c. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE);

d. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA);

e. One (1) representative each from the League of Provinces, Cities and Municipalities, the Philippine Councilors ™ League; and,

f. Two (2) representatives of the Workers in the Informal Sector, to be appointed by the Council Chairman.

Section 2. Functions of the Council. The Council shall undertake the following:

a. Formulate policies and programs that will accord protection and provide security to the registered vendors nationwide;

b. Issue within forty-five (45) days upon effectivity of this Order, the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) on the provision of security and system of registration for all vendors nationwide which shall be formulated in consultation with all concerned sectors and consistent with existing laws (e.g. R.A. 7160 or the Local Government Code dated 10 October 1991, R.A. 4136 or the Land Transportation Code dated 20 June 1964);

c. Periodically review and revise, whenever necessary, the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Order;

d. Monitor and ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of this Executive Order;

e. Submit quarterly reports to the President, as may be necessary; and,

f. Perform other functions as may be directed by the President.

SEC. 3. Coverage and System of Registration. The guidelines shall cover vendors in all cities and municipalities throughout the country, whereby each city and municipality shall establish a system for registration and issuance of permit to vendors to protect their rights and the interest of consumers and the general public.

SEC. 4. Designation of Workplaces. The city or municipality, in consultation with vendors, the affected community and other sectors or groups, shall identify and designate viable workplaces, and design a system of assigning spaces to registered vendors.

Workplaces include markets, vacant areas within the vicinity of markets and other vacant public spaces which may be designated as allowable vending sites.

SEC. 5. Empowerment of Vendors. All concerned National Government Agencies shall provide the support necessary to the vendors ™ self-development into healthy, informed, environmentally aware, progressive and productive citizens. Vendors shall be encouraged to organize themselves into associations reflective of their ideals and aspirations.

SEC. 6. Policy on Eviction and Demolition. Pending the issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Executive Order, vendors shall not be arbitrarily deprived of their livelihood by being unjustly ejected from their workplaces nor their stalls demolished provided that this policy shall not apply to vendors who started occupying such workplaces after the effectivity of this Executive Order.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Executive Order or the application of such provisions is declared unconstitutional or illegal, the remaining provisions thereof shall not be affected by such declaration.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. All other orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity. This Executive Order takes effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 24th day of October, 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