EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 196, April 16, 2003

MODIFYING THE RATES OF IMPORT DUTY ON CERTAIN IMPORTED ARTICLES UNDER SECTION 104 OF THE TARIFF AND CUSTOMS CODE OF 1978 (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1464, AS AMENDED)

WHEREAS, the government needs to provide the agriculture and fisheries sector tariff assistance to be efficient and globally competitive;

WHEREAS, Section 401 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978 (Presidential Decree No. 1464), as amended, empowers the President of the Republic of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority, to increase, reduce, or remove existing protective rates of import duty, as well as to modify the form of duty;

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

Section 1. The articles specifically listed in Annex "A" hereof, as classified under Section 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code of 1978, as amended, shall be subject to the rates of import duty in accordance with the schedule indicated opposite each article.

Section 2. The nomenclature and rates of import duty on tariff headings not enumerated and those listed but represented by the symbol "x x x" shall remain in force and effect.

Section 3. Upon the effectivity of this Executive Order, the above-mentioned articles, which are entered and withdrawn from warehouses in the Philippines shall be levied the rates of duty herein prescribed.

Section 4. All Presidential issuances, administrative rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby revoked or modified accordingly.

Section 5. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately following its complete publication in two newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 16th day of April in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Three.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO

Executive Secretary