EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 335, July 19, 2004

CREATING THE OFFICE OF THE CABINET OFFICER FOR PROVINCIAL EVENTS

Section 1. Creation of the Office. To ensure a smooth execution of all plans and arrangement, including Presidential instructions, relating to Presidential provincial visits and town halls, there is hereby created, within the Presidential Management Staff, an Office of the CABINET OFFICER FOR PROVINCIAL EVENTS (COPE) composed of following:

1. Cabinet Officer for Provincial Events, who shall head the office;

2. Assistant Secretary for Provincial Events, who shall serve as deputy;

3. Two (2) Assistant Secretaries seconded from the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS);

4. Staff seconded from the Radio-TV Malacañang (RTVM);

5. Staff seconded from the Media Accreditation and Relations Office (MARO) of the Office of the Press Secretary and Philippine Information Agency (PIA);

6. Officer(s) seconded from the Malacañang Protocol Office;

7. Officer to liaise with the Presidential Security Group (PSG);

8. Officer to liaise with the Malacañang Appointments Office;

9. Officer to liaise with the Presidential Assistants for Regional Concerns (PARECOs);

10. Officer to liaise with the Presidential Adviser for Communications (PAC);

11. The Presidential Management Staff Office of Regional Concerns/Office of the President Special Operations Group, hereby integrated into the Office of the COPE.

Section 2. Functions. The COPE shall head and build up the capability of the "advance" team for provincial trips and town halls of the President including media relations for said provincial trips and town halls. The COPE shall conduct ocular inspection and assessment of the proposed provincial trips and town halls to validate and finalize the President’s programs and activities and whenever necessary, a post-visit assessment of the trip. The COPE shall be responsible for preparing the detailed program of the President’s activities and the corresponding flight manifest (if any). The COPE shall likewise be responsible for gathering the required data and other inputs needed for the President’s speeches and statements for the town hall or the different activities during the provincial visit.

Section 3. Coordination with Other Offices.

a. At the national level, the COPE shall coordinate with national line agencies and the following entities on all the administrative and other arrangement and preparations required in the areas to be visited by the President : PSG; MARO; PIA; Malacañang Appointments Office; Malacañang Protocol Office; and the PARECOs. He shall coordinate the participation of all government agencies and instrumentalities, including Congress and the Judiciary as well as concerned Private Sector representatives in such provincial visits/town halls. b. The Presidential Adviser for Communications shall primarily be responsible for preparing the President’s speeches and statements needed for the town hall or different activities during the provincial visit based on data provided by the COPE and other inputs. c. At the local level, the COPE shall coordinate through the PARECOs with the regional offices of national line agencies and the local officials concerned on all the administrative requirements for the conduct of town hall or various activities of the President in the areas to be visited as well as the participation of said local officials to the said activities. d. The PSG shall be the lead agency in providing the security requirements of the President and the members of the First Family. It shall lead in coordinating the security and other related preparations arrangements for the local Presidential visits and assist the COPE in coordinating the participation of the officials and elements of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the area of the President’s activities. e. The Malacañang Appointments Office shall primarily be responsible for providing the COPE with inputs regarding possible activities of the President during the provincial visit as well as ensuring the approved town hall or activities of the presidential visit are incorporated in the integrated schedule of the President.

Section 4. Operational Supervision over Seconded Personnel from the OPS. The COPE shall exercise operational supervision over the seconded officers and staff from the Office of the Press Secretary on the physical and substantive requirements for the provision of radio and television coverage for the Presidential activities. The operational supervision shall cover all media-related activities, including the preparation of press kits, and the decision on the conduct of press briefing, press conference and interviews on site, in coordination with the Presidential Adviser for Communications.

Section 5. Protocol Oversight. The COPE shall oversee the seconded Malacañang Protocol Officer who shall be responsible to him as well as to the residential Chief of Protocol for attending to all the protocolar requirements and arrangements for the town hall or the different activities of the President during the provincial visit. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately. Done in the City of Manila, this 19th 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