EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 543, June 24, 2006

DELEGATING TO THE PHILIPPINE RECLAMATION AUTHORITY THE POWER TO APPROVE RECLAMATION PROJECTS

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 525 dated 14 February 1979 designated the Public Estates Authority (PEA), now the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), as the agency primarily responsible for all reclamation projects;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 525 provided that all reclamation projects shall be approved by the President upon recommendation of the PEA (now PRA), and shall be undertaken by the PEA (now PRA) or through a proper contract executed by it with any person or entity; Provided, that, reclamation projects of any national government agency or entity authorized under its charter shall be undertaken in consultation with the PEA (now PRA) upon approval of the President;

WHEREAS, Paragraph 2 of Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of the Administrative Code of 1987 provides that: “The President… in order to achieve simplicity, economy and efficiency” may “transfer any function under the Office of the President to any Department or agency.”

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

Section 1. The power of the President to approve reclamation projects is hereby delegated to the Philippine Reclamation Authority, through its governing board, subject to compliance with existing laws and rules and subject to the condition that reclamation contracts to be executed with any person or entity shall go through public bidding.

Section 2. Nothing in this Order shall be construed as diminishing the President’s authority to modify, amend or nullify PRA’s action.

Section 3. All executive issuances inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Section 4. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 24th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary