WHEREAS, the Metals Industry Research and Development Center was created under Republic Act No. 4724, as amended, to assist in the development and expansion of the metals industry;

WHEREAS, the Metals, Engineering, and Allied Industries Sub-sector has been designated as a high-priority area under the Five-Year Philippine Development Plan, hence, the rapid and systematic growth of this sector of the economy is considered critical to the overall development program of the country;

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 1, as amended, provides that the Metals Industry Research and Development Center shall be attached to the National Science Development Board for policy and program coordination;

WHEREAS, there is now the need to reorient the program thrust of the Metals Industry Research and Development Center from research and development to direct assistance to the metals industry to enhance, among others, the transfer of technology into the metals and allied industries as well as the provision of its services to industrial establishments;

WHEREAS, to enable the Metals Industry Research and Development Center to fully and effectively provide such assistance and establish direct linkage with the metals industry sector, it must be organizationally located within the Ministry of Industry which is primarily responsible for the promotion and development of industries in the country;

WHEREAS, under Presidential Decree No. 1416, the President is empowered to undertake such organizational and related improvements as may be appropriate in the light of changing circumstances and new developments;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Metals Industry Research and Development Center, hereinafter to be referred to as the Center, shall be transferred from the National Science Development Board and attached to the Ministry of Industry for policy and program coordination and direction.

SEC. 2. The Board of Trustees of the Center is hereby reconstituted and shall be composed of the Minister of Industry as Chairman, with a representative each from the National Science Development Board, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the National Economic and Development Authority, and three representatives from the metals, engineering and allied industries sub-sector to be appointed by the Minister of Industry, as members. The appointive members shall serve for a term of three years; provided, that, of the first three members appointed, one shall serve for three years, one for two years and one for one year, respectively.

SEC. 3. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees shall appoint with the approval of the Board, the Executive Director of the Center.

SEC. 4. The Board is hereby authorized to reorganize the internal structure of the Center and to provide to its officers and personnel such incentives as may be necessary, in consultation with the Ministry of the Budget and the Presidential Commission on Reorganization.

SEC. 5. All laws, decree, administrative orders, proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 6. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 10th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty.


By the President:

(SGD.) JACOBO C. CLAVE
Presidential Executive Assistant