EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 577, November 17, 2006

PLACING THE URBAN ASSET REFORM PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE UNDER THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COUNCIL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, the government's anti-poverty program is anchored on, among others, urban asset reform;

WHEREAS, government has committed to streamline and rationalize the bureaucracy and adopt a homogenous grouping of functionally-related government agencies;

WHEREAS, the Urban Asset Reform Project Management Office (UARPMO), created by virtue of Executive Order No. 371 (s. 2004) and mandated to develop the integration of formal and informal settlements into one legal system as a framework of Philippine urban asset reform;

WHEREAS, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), created by virtue of EO 90 (s, 1986), is mandated to formulate national objectives, policies and strategies for housing and urban development;

WHEREAS, there is a need to facilitate the coordination of policies and programs relative to housing, urban development and urban asset reform;

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of Executive Order 292, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987, provides continuing authority to the President to reorganize; the administrative structure of the Office of the President;

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. Placing the Urban Asset Reform Project Management Office under HUDCC. The Urban Asset Reform Project Management Office is hereby placed under the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, which shall exercise control and supervision over the said office.

Section 2. Assistance to the HUDCC and UARPMO. All national government offices, including government-owned and/or - controlled corporations, government financial institutions, local government units, and other instrumentalities, are hereby directed to render the assistance needed by the HUDCC and UARPMO in its implementation of the asset: reform program.

Section 4. Separability Clause. In the event that any provision of this Order is declared invalid, the other provisions that are unaffected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 5. Repeal. All orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Section 6. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 17th day of November in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary