WHEREAS, under the New Republic, national development shall be pursued with renewed dedication and greater determination through more efficient, effective and economical government;

WHEREAS, agricultural production, particularly that subsector concerned with the supply of food, has become even more critical for both domestic food requirements and the export of agricultural commodities, in the light of recent economic developments;

WHEREAS, the policies and programs concerned with food production and agricultural crops must be more closely coordinated in order to promote effective performance among the implementing agencies involved;

WHEREAS, certain of these agencies should be placed directly under an integrated ministry in order that primary authority and responsibility for the major food production programs may be properly identified; and

WHEREAS, under Presidential Decree No. 1416 as amended, 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 and the authority vested in me by Presidential Decree No. 1416 as amended, do hereby order and ordain:

SECTION 1. It shall be the policy of the State to promote the production of agricultural crops, livestock, poultry and fisheries through the efficient utilization of existing resources, reliance upon private enterprise and the encouragement of agri-business ventures, with the end in view of achieving self-sufficiency in domestic food requirements and of expanding and diversifying agricultural produce for export. It shall also be the policy to improve the real incomes of farmers and other agricultural workers through increased productivity and more efficient systems of pricing, marketing, land management, and other incentives.

SECTION 2. The Ministry of Agriculture is renamed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, herein after referred to as the Ministry. The Minister of Agriculture is likewise renamed the Minister of Agriculture and Food, hereinafter referred to as the Minister. The Ministry shall be the entity primarily responsible for the attainment of the policies and goals set forth in Section 1 above, through the formulation and implementation of appropriate programs and projects and the provision of suitable services.

SECTION 3. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is transferred from the Ministry of Natural Resources, converted into a staff Bureau and placed under the supervision and control of the Ministry, together with its functions and applicable appropriations, records, equipment, property, facilities and such personnel as may be necessary. The Minister is hereby authorized to integrate the regional offices and other field units of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources into the ministry-wide regional offices of the Ministry. The position of Assistant Regional Director for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is authorized to be created in each of the regional offices of the Ministry.

The positions of Regional Director and Assistant Regional Director and of the Bureau of fisheries and Aquatic Resources are hereby abolished: Provided, however, That the incumbents thereof shall have priority for appointment to the positions of Assistant Regional Director for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources which are herein created; and Provided, further, That those who are not so appointed may be accommodated in specialized senior technical positions to be provided in the supplemental staffing pattern of the ministry-wide regional offices of the Ministry at not less than the same salary rate they are now actually receiving.

SECTION 4. The Fishery Industry Development Council in the Ministry of Natural Resources is abolished, and its functions and applicable appropriations, records, equipments, property and such personnel as may be necessary are transferred to the appropriate units in the Ministry as determined by the Minister.

The National Board on the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department Programs, Budget and Operations is transferred to and placed under the administrative supervision of the Ministry. The Minister of Agriculture and Food shall be the Chairman of the Board in lieu of the Minister of Natural Resources.

SECTION 5. All other functions and activities in the Ministry of Natural Resources directly related to the development and regulation of fisheries and aquatic resources shall likewise be transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, including applicable appropriations, records, equipments, property, facilities and such personnel as may be necessary.

SECTION 6. The issuance of forests land grazing lease agreements by the Bureau of Forest Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources shall be subject to the prior concurrence of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food which shall be exercised as appropriate through its regional offices in accordance with guidelines duly be promulgated by the Ministry upon the recommendation of the Director of Animal Industry.

SECTION 7. The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority is transferred from the Ministry of Natural Resources and attached to the Ministry, which shall include such subsidiaries as it may have. The Minister of Agriculture and Food shall be the ex-officio Chairman of the governing board: Provided, that the Minister of Natural Resources shall remain a member thereof.

SECTION 8. The Minister of Agriculture and Food shall be an ex-officio member of the respective governing boards of the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Philippine Sugar Commission: Provided, That the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food designated by the Minister shall be authorized to attend the meetings of either of the Boards whenever the Minister is unable to attend. Accordingly, there shall be a reconstitution of the governing boards of the corporations mentioned above in this Section as indicated here in below.

Of the two representatives of the Government in the governing board of the Philippine Coconut Authority, one of whom shall be designated by the President as Chairman and the other as Vice-Chairman, as now provided for in the charter of the Authority one shall henceforth be the Minister of Agriculture and Food who need not automatically be the Chairman. The President shall designated the Vice-Chairman from the among the members, including the Minister of Agriculture and Food.

The present position of Commissioner in the Philippine Sugar Commission shall continue to be Chairman and chief executive officer of the Commission. Of the six Associate Commissioners in the Commission, one shall henceforth be the Minister of Agriculture and Food.

SECTION 9. The Minister is hereby authorized to issue such orders, rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this Executive Order: Provided, That approval of the Office Budget and Management is obtained relative in the new staffing pattern including appropriate salary rates, the organizational structure at divisional or lower levels, and the realignment of existing appropriations. The Minister may appoint personnel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the herein abolished Fishery Industry Development Council to appropriate positions in the Ministry and those not so appointed are deemed laid off.

The Minister shall effect the implementation of this Executive Order, particularly with respect to personnel actions required to be taken, within six months from the issuance of this Executive Order.

SECTION 10. All Presidential appointees of the present Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the former Fishery Industry Development Council are laid off, unless otherwise reappointed by the President; provided, that those who are Career Executive Service Officers shall be reappointed or reassigned by the President upon the recommendation of the Minister to appropriate positions in the Ministry or assigned to the Career Executive Service Board who shall endeavor to find appropriate placement for them in other ministries or agencies; provided, further, that those Career Executive Service Officers who have been assigned to the Career Executive Service Board shall continue to receive their salaries from any available and applicable funds; and provided, finally, that those who are not placed in appropriate positions within six months after their assignment to the Career Executive Service board shall be similarly laid off.

SECTION 11. All those who are laid off under the provisions of this Executive Order shall be entitled to all benefits and gratuities provided under existing laws.

SECTION 12. All present incumbents of positions in the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Fishery Industry Development Council shall continue to exercise their usual functions, duties, and responsibilities, pending the issuance of the appropriate implementing orders.

SECTION 13. All laws, decrees, orders, proclamations, rules, regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 14. Any portion or provision of this Executive Order that may be declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying the other provisions thereof; Provided, That such remaining portions can still stand and be given effect in their entirety to accomplish the objectives of this Executive Order.

SECTION 15. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 30th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Four.


By the President:

(SGD.) JUAN C. TUVERA
Presidential Executive Assistant