EXECUTIVE ORDER No. 157, February 13, 2014

MODIFYING THE RATES OF IMPORT DUTY ON CERTAIN IMPORTED ARTICLES AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE TARIFF AND CUSTOMS CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS AMENDED, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE AMENDED TARIFF REDUCTION SCHEDULE ON MOTOR VEHICLES’ COMPONENTS, PARTS AND/OR ACCESSORIES UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 767PURSUANT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND JAPAN FOR AN ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

WHEREAS, the Agreement Between the Republic of the Philippines and Japan for an Economic Partnership (PJEPA) was signed by the Heads of Government of the Philippines and Japan on 09 September 2006, and ratified by the Philippine Senate, through Resolution No. 131, on 08 October 2008;

WHEREAS, Section 3 of Executive Order (EO) No. 767 (s. 2008) provides that, as indicated in the Notes for the Schedule of the Philippines under the PJEPA, the rates of duty of certain products represented with the symbol “S” shall be subject to negotiations in 2009;

WHEREAS, paragraph 4 (a) (ii), Section 1, Part 3 of Annex 1 of PJEPA further provides that the rates of duty of certain products indicated with symbol “S” in Column 4 and number “4” in Column 5 in the Schedule of the Philippines shall be eliminated in 2013;

WHEREAS, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, during its meeting on 26 June 2013, approved the tariff reduction schedule on the remaining motor vehicles’ components, parts and/or accessories indicated with symbol “S” in Column 4 and number “4” in Column 5 in the Schedule of the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, Section 402 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP), as amended, authorizes the President, upon NEDA’s recommendation, to modify import duties for the promotion of foreign trade.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Reduction of Tariff Rates on Motor Vehicles’ Components, Parts, and/or Accessories. The articles specifically listed in the attached Annex (Articles Granted Concessions under the PJEPA) hereof, as classified under Section 104 of the TCCP, as amended, shall be subject to the rates of duty in accordance with the schedule indicated in Column 4 of said Annex.

SECTION 2. Applicable PJEPA Rates. For Japan, the applicable rate shall be the PJEPA rate subject to the submission of the proper Certificate of Origin (CO) Form JP. Pursuant to Section 1313 (a) of the TCCP, as amended, the Tariff Commission may, upon request, issue tariff classification rulings to confirm the applicable rates of duty of particular products subject to this section.

SECTION 3. Rates of Articles in the Annex Subject to Rules of Origin. All articles listed in the Annex which are entered or withdrawn from warehouses in the Philippines for consumption shall be imposed the rates of duty therein prescribed subject to compliance with the Rules of Origin as provided for in Chapter 3 of PJEPA.

SECTION 4. Right of Recourse. Nothing in this Order shall preclude the Philippines from invoking its right of recourse to all trade remedy measures provided for in the law, the PJEPA and other relevant international agreements as an effective device against import surges.

SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. All issuances, orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. This Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 13th of February, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Fourteen.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.

Executive Secretary