WHEREAS, the Treaty on the Law of the Sea when adopted by the United Nations Conference will have significant political, economic, strategic, security and other implications to the Philippines, and

WHEREAS, the policies and activities of the Philippine Government agencies concerned to the implementation of the Treaty on the Law of the Sea in all its aspects must be coordinated in order to optimize the benefits that the Philippines can derive from it, particularly on the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

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

SECTION 1. There is hereby established a Cabinet Committee which shall be responsible for the implementation of the Treaty on the Law on the Sea with respect to political, economic, strategic, security, and other implications, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the coordinating agency in all matters relating thereto.

SEC. 2. The Cabinet Committee shall be composed of the Minister of Foreign Affairs as Chairman, with the Minister of National Defense, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Energy, the Minister of Justice, the Director-General of the National Economic Development Authority, and such other officials as the President may designate, as members.

SEC. 3. A Secretariat is hereby created in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which shall have the following functions and responsibilities.

a. Act as the supportive and administrative body of the Cabinet Committee on the Treaty on the Law of the Sea as it affects the Philippines;

b. Formulate the necessary administrative and other procedural rules and regulations for the internal management of the Cabinet Committee;

c. Prepare, in consultation and in coordination with the other concerned agencies, the administrative, technical and other technological requirements necessary for the effective and efficient management of the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and to issue and disseminate these to the other concerned agencies;

d. Prepare, in consultation and in coordination with other concerned agencies, short, medium, and long-term plans for the effective and efficient development, conservation and protection of the 200-mile EEZ;

e. Monitor and coordinate the activities of the other concerned agencies in the implementation of the Treaty on the Law of the Sea;

f. Prepare the groundwork for any negotiation with other countries in matters concerning overlapping of boundaries, fisheries, energy, mineral and other agreements relating to the conservation, protection and exploitation, development, and management of the 200-mile EEZ; and

g. Render a regular and periodic report on its activities.

SEC. 4. The Secretariat shall be headed by an Executive Director to be designated by the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee.

SEC. 5. In order for the Secretariat to effectively and efficiently discharge its functions and responsibilities, it is authorized to formulate the necessary administrative and financial arrangements to carry out its work program, including the recruitment, selection, and hiring of competent and qualified personnel on a regular and/or consultancy or contractual basis, and prepare and manage its own finances.

SEC. 6. The Ministry of the Budget is directed to release such amount as may be necessary for the initial operation of the Committee to the Secretariat, through the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on the Treaty on the Law of the Sea which shall administer the same.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-one.


By the President:

(SGD.) JUAN C. TUVERA
Presidential Executive Assistant