EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 143, November 02, 2002

FURTHER AMENDING SECTION 1 OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 325, SERIES OF 1996, AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER NOS. 384 (S. 1996) AND 437 (S. 1997), PROVIDING FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE REGIONAL DIRECTORS OF COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED) AND TESDA AS MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

WHEREAS, Article X, Section 14, of the Constitution provides that the President shall create regional development councils (RDCs) and other similar bodies composed of local officials, regional heads of departments and other government offices and representatives from non-governmental organizations within the regions;

WHEREAS, E.O. 325, series of 1996, provides for the reorganization of the RDC, which is composed of three major sectors, namely: the local government units, government agencies and the private sector;

WHEREAS, the education sector is represented in the RDC by the Department of Education (DepEd);

WHEREAS, the DepEd was restructured in 1994 with the creation of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) under Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7722, with responsibilities over higher education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) under R.A. No. 7796, with responsibilities over technical education, both agencies independent of and separate from the DepEd;

WHEREAS, no adjustment has been made in the representation of the education sector in the RDC since the restructuring of DepEd in 1994;

WHEREAS, the inclusion of CHED and TESDA as regular RDC members is deemed crucial considering that both are major stakeholders in the generation of high-level and technical manpower at the regional level.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by the powers vested in me by law, hereby order:

Section 1. Executive Order No. 325, series of 1996, particularly Section 1 thereof, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1. Regular Members. — The following shall be the regular RDC Members:

a. all provincial governors;

b. all city mayors;

c. mayors of municipalities designated as provincial capitals;

d. all presidents of the provincial leagues of municipalities;

e. the mayor of the municipality designated as the regional center;

f. the regional directors of agencies represented in the National Economic and Development Board (NEDA, DAR, DA, DBM, DENR, DOF, DFA, DOH, DILG, DOLE, DPWH, DOST, DTI, DOTC, BSP) and the regional directors of DepEd, DSWD, DOT, CHED and TESDA, provided that each agency shall be represented by only one regional director; and

g. private sector representatives (PSRs), at least one of whom shall be a representative of the Labor Sector, who shall comprise one fourth of the members of the fully constituted council."

Section 2. Repealing Clause. — All previous issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 3. Effectivity. — This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 02 Nov. 2002

BY THE PRESIDENT:

(SGD.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO

Executive Secretary