WHEREAS, it is imperative to promote foreign trade in order to generate the foreign exchange requirements of economic development and sustained growth;

WHEREAS, there is need to strengthen the government machinery to make it more responsive to the demands of foreign trade promotion;

WHEREAS, government efforts towards this end requires not only the vigorous participation of all the departments and agencies of the government, but also the active involvement of my Office;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create the Foreign Trade Council, to advise the President of the Philippines on Foreign Trade, composed of the following:

The Secretary of Commerce and Industry

Chairman

The Secretary of Finance

Vice-Chairman

The Secretary of Justice

Member

The Director General of the Presidential Economic Staff

Member

The Chairman of the Board of Investments

Member

The Governor of the Central Bank

Member

The Chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines

Member

A representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs

Member

National Export Coordinator

Member and Action Officer

The Council shall have the following duties and functions:

1. Formulate such guidelines and policies on all matters pertaining to the development of exports, including such related matters as shipping and insurance;
   
   
2. Coordinate the plans, functions, and activities of all government agencies and instrumentalities involved in the promotion and balanced expansion of foreign trade and related activities;
   
   
3. Oversee the implementation of policies and directives so formulated by all the agencies and instrumentalities of the government.

To provide staff support to the Council, the Presidential Economic Staff and the National Export Coordinating Center shall act as Secretariat, which shall:

1. Conduct studies and formulate development programs designed to accomplish the objectives of this Order;
   
   
2. Draft and submit concrete recommendations to the Council concerning policies and action programs for immediate implementation or for Congressional consideration.

The Action Officer and the Secretariat are hereby authorized to call directly upon any department, bureau or office of the Executive Branch of the government or upon any government-owned or controlled entity for such assistance as may be needed from time to time.

The participation of the private sector shall be secured in order to carry out effectively the objectives of this Order.

Administrative Order No. 138, dated September 4, 1968, is hereby repealed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 9th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy.


By the President:
(SGD.) ERNESTO M. MACEDA
Executive Secretary