Executive Order No. 328, July 16, 2004

TRANSFERRING OPERATIONAL SUPERVISION OF THE MANILA ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL OFFICE INC. FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

WHEREAS, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is the primary coordinative, promotive, facilitative and regulatory arm of the Executive Branch of government in the area of trade, industry and investment;

WHEREAS, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office Inc. (MECO) was established to promote cooperation in the fields of economic, trade, cultural and economic matters between the Philippines and Taiwan on a people-to-people basis;

WHEREAS, in order to facilitate coordination of policies and program between these agencies, it is necessary to place the MECO under the DTI;

WHEREAS, Book III, Title III, Chapter 10, Section 31(3) of the Administrative Code of 1987, authorizes the President to “[T]ransfer any agency under the Office of the President to any other department or agency x x x”.

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 the following:

Section 1. Section 1 of the Executive Order No. 229 series of 2000 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 4. OPERATIONAL SUPERVISION. Supervision over the principal office in Manila of the MECO and its branch offices in Taiwan is hereby placed under the Department of Trade and Industry”.

Section 2. All orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 3. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 16th day of July in the year of our Lord, two thousand and four.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO

Executive Secretary