MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Executive Order No. 121, August 24, 1993 ]

CREATING THE MT. MAKILING RESERVE AREA AND LAGUNA DE BAY COMMISSION

WHEREAS, the Development Vision and Framework, approved and adopted by the NEDA Board on 15 September 1992 for the implementation of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (1993-1998), includes the preservation and development of the countrys natural resources and environment;

WHEREAS, the preservation and development of the Mt. Makiling Reserve Area and the Laguna de Bay and its Watershed Region are vital to the governments overall development framework; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for a single government body to coordinate and oversee efforts to preserve and develop the Mt. Makiling Reserve Area and the Laguna de Bay Region consistent with the development framework.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Creation of the Commission. There is hereby created, under the Office of the President, the Mt. Makiling Reserve Area and Laguna de Bay Commission (hereinafter referred to as the “Commission”), composed of the following members:

Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Chairman
Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority Vice-Chairman
Secretary of Tourism Member
Secretary of Trade and Industry Member
Secretary of Agriculture Member
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Member
Secretary of Science and Technology Member
Secretary of National Defense Member
Governor of Laguna Member
Governor of Rizal Member
Governor of Batangas Member
Governor of Cavite Member
Chairman, Metro Manila Authority Member
General Manager, Laguna Lake Development Authority Member
Chancellor, University of the Philippines at Los Baños Member

Five (5) representatives from the private sector, representing business, land developers, farmers, fisherfolks, and environmentalist groups, shall be appointed as Consultants to the Commission by the President upon the recommendation of the Commission Chairman.

The University of the Philippines at Los Baños shall serve as the technical arm of the Commission, while the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall act as the Secretariat and provide administrative support thereto.

Section 2. Duties and Functions of the Commission. The Commission shall be an advisory body to the President on matters related to the Mt. Makiling Reserve Area and Laguna de Bay Region, and shall exercise the following functions and responsibilities:

(a) Coordinate the effective implementation of the government policies and programs concerning and affecting the subject areas;

(b) Coordinate the review and formulation of policies and programs for the preservation and development of the subject areas;

(c) Liaise with the Legislative Branch on the passage of laws for the furtherance of the policies and projects concerning the subject areas;

(d) Provide efficient mechanism to facilitate the resolution of issues and concerns affecting the subject areas;

(e) Ensure the efficient monitoring of issues and development vital to the subject areas;

(f) Serve as the collaborative mechanism for the government and private sector efforts to preserve and develop the subject areas; and

(g) Perform other duties that may be assigned to it by the President.

Section 3. Formulation of the Action Plan for the Immediate Concerns on the Mt. Makiling Reserve Area and Laguna de Bay Region. An integrated Action Plan shall be formulated and implemented by the Commission for submission to and approval by the President, not later than 30 September 1993, to address the issues and concerns affecting the subject areas under the immediate term.

Section 4. Formulation of the Master Plans for the Mt. Makiling Reserve Area and Laguna de Bay Region. The Commission shall also formulate and submit to the President for approval, not later than 31 March 1994, Master Plans for the preservation and development of the subject areas under the long-term.

Section 5. Moratorium. Effective immediately, there shall be a moratorium in the issuance of new land development permits, clearances or concessions, in the subject areas, as well as the issuance of permits for the construction and operation of fishpens and fishcages in the Laguna Lake, and the lease, sale or other mode of disposition involving portions or the adjacent portions of the Mt. Makiling Reserve Area.

The Commission shall recommend and provide guidelines for the lifting of this moratorium after the Master Plans for the subject areas shall have been put in place.1aшphi1

Section 6. Submission of Regular Progress Reports. The Commission, through its Chairman, shall submit a monthly report of its activities to the Office of the President.

Section 7. Funding. The amount of One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), to be drawn equally from the Presidents Contingent Fund and funds of the DENR, shall be released for the operations of the Commission for 1993, subject to existing auditing and accounting regulations. Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be incorporated in the budget proposals under the Office of the President.

Section 8. Repealing Clause. All executive issuances, orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby revoked or modified accordingly.

Section 9. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 24th day of August in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Three.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) TEOFISTO T. GUINGONA, JR.
Executive Secretary


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