WHEREAS, Presidential Decree (PD) No. 79, as amended, or the "Revised Population Act of the Philippines," created the Commission on Population (POPCOM) under the Office of the President, to formulate and adopt coherent, integrated and comprehensive long-term plans, programs, and recommendations on population as it relates to economic and social development consistent with and implementing the population policy, including undertaking a national program of family planning involving both public and private sectors which respect the religious beliefs and values of our citizens;

WHEREAS, the POPCOM was attached to the Department of Health (DOH) through Executive Order (EO) No. 188 (s. 2003);

WHEREAS, under EO No. 230 (s. 1987), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is the authority primarily responsible for formulating continuing, coordinated and fully integrated social and economic policies, plans and programs;

WHEREAS, in order to strengthen the development and implementation by the POPCOM of population-related plans, policies, programs and projects in the pursuit of socio-economic development reforms and programs, there is a need to enhance its coordination with the NEDA;

WHEREAS, strengthening the integration of population and development is one of the identified strategies under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 to increase the country's potential economic growth;

WHEREAS, under Section 84 of Republic Act No. 10964, or the "General Appropriations Act for FY 2018," the President is authorized to create new offices and modify the existing organizational structure of the agencies in the Executive Branch, as well as create new positions or modify existing ones, whenever public interest so requires; and

WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution provides that the President shall have control of all executive departments, bureaus and offices and shall ensure that laws are faithfully executed;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Renaming and Attachment. The Commission on Population shall be renamed as the "Commission on Population and Development" (CPD). Its attachment shall be reverted to the NEDA for policy and program coordination.

SECTION 2. The Executive Director. In accordance with Section 10 of PD No. 79, as amended, an Executive Director (ED) shall be appointed by the CPD Chairperson, subject to the approval of the CPD Board of Commissioners (Board). The ED, who shall receive the emoluments attached to the rank of an undersecretary, shall provide technical and administrative services to the CPD Board in accordance with the powers and duties of the ED under PD No. 79, as amended.

SECTION 3. Funding. The budget necessary for the implementation of this Order shall be sourced from available funds of the CPD for FY 2018. For the succeeding years, the funding requirements of the CPD shall be included in its budget proposal which shall be submitted to the DBM, subject to the budgetary process.

SECTION 4. Repeal. All executive orders, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby revoked, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5. Separability. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 6. Effectivity. -This Order shall take effect upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 13th day of December in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eighteen.

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

By the President:

(SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA
Executive Secretary