ADOPTING THE CORAL TRIANGLE INITIATIVE (CTI)

NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION

WHEREAS, Article II, Section 16 of the Philippine Constitution mandates the State to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature;

WHEREAS, Article XII, Section 2 of the Philippine Constitution also provides that the State shall protect the nation's marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Government is pursuing the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) along with the Governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste;

WHEREAS, among the agreements during the 2nd Senior Officials Meeting (SOM2) which was held in Manila, Philippines on 23 October 2007 is the adoption of the Manila Draft of the CTI Regional Plan of Action as a framework for the specific actions needed to conserve and sustainably manage the coastal and marine resources in the Coral Triangle;

WHEREAS, the CTI National Plan of Action is complementary to the Philippines' commitments to international conventions such as the Convention of Biological Diversity, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wildlife Animals, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the Millennium Development Goals, among others;

WHEREAS, national policies and laws support the achievement of the CTI goals, as outlined in the Regional Plan of Action and the National Plan of Action. These national policies include Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, Republic Act 8550 or the Fisheries Code of the Philippines, Executive Order No. 533 adopting the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) as the National Management Policy Framework to Promote the Sustainable Development of the Country's Coastal and Marine Environments and Resources; Presidential Proclamation No. 1028 Declaring the Entire Sulu and Celebes Seas as an Integrated Conservation and Development Zone; Executive Order No. 578 or the National Policy on Biological Diversity, and Prescribed its Implementation particularly in the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor, and in all Philippine territory within the Sulu Sulawesi Marine Eco-region (SSME), among others:

WHEREAS, the Philippines builds on-going and planned national projects and regional cooperative programs such as the

Memorandum of Understanding Adopting the Sulu Sulawesi Marine Eco-region Conservation Plan in working towards supporting achievement of goals and targets laid out in the CTI Regional Plan of Action;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 192, as amended, mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the primary government agency responsible for the sustainable development of the country's environment and natural

resources:

WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture (DA), by virtue of Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 is the agency mandated to manage, develop, protect and conserve the country's aquatic

resources;

WHEREAS, there is a need to rationalize the institutional arrangements, plans and programs to ensure well-coordinated, consistent decisions and actions concerning the management of the country's coastal and marine resources;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGALARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby mandate the following:

SECTION 1. Adoption of the CTI National Plan of Action (NPOA).-The NPOA is hereby adopted as attached to this Order. The NPOA shall serve as the primary framework for the development and implementation of all related plans and programs on marine and coastal resources management in the country.

SEC. 2. Integration of the NPOA Priority Actions into the National Plans and Programs. All agencies with coastal and marine concerns are hereby instructed to integrate the NPOA priority actions into their corresponding national plans and budgets and contribute. to the effective implementation of the NPOA.

WHEREAS, the Philippines shall host the 7th ASEM Conference on Counter-Terrorism in 2009;

NOW THEREFORE I, GLORIA MACAPAGALARROYO, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Executive Committee.-The Anti-Terrorism Council (Council) and its member agencies shall constitute the Executive Committee for the purpose of organizing and implementing activities in connection with the Philippines' hosting of the 7th Conference on Counter-Terrorism (Conference).

SEC. 2. Agency Support.-The Council shall closely coordinate the integrated assistance by obtaining technical, financial and administrative support from its member agencies and other agencies where appropriate and the heads of the Local Government Units where the ASEM conference and related activities will be held.

of the conference, as and when necessary;

3.5. Subject to existing laws, rules and regulations, enter into agreements and contracts necessary for the attainment of this Order.

SEC. 4. Funding.-The initial funding requirement for the preparation of the Conference in the amount of Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00) shall be charged against the International Cooperation Fund. Additional funds as may be necessary shall be sourced from funds as may be determined by the Secretary of Budget and Management.

SEC. 5. This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 7th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary

MALACAÑANG

MANILA

MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR No. 174

ENJOINING ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES,

INCLUDING GOVERNMENT OWNED AND
CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS, STATE
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES TO
SUPPORT THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION'S PUBLIC
SECTOR AGENDA

WHEREAS, the Government recognizes the important role of government employees in nation building.

H. Jt. Res. No. 11

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-eighth day of July, two thousand eight.

JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3

JOINT RESOLUTION APPROPRIATING THE AMOUNT OF FIVE MILLION PESOS (P5,000,000.00) FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TREATY ON THE TRANSFER OF SENTENCED PERSONS BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines has concluded the Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons with the Kingdom of Spain;

WHEREAS, the Treaty aims to ensure the effective reformation and rehabilitation of Filipinos serving sentence in Spain, as they will be afforded the opportunity to serve their sentences in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, the Department of Justice is the central authority in all the treaties on the sentenced persons;

WHEREAS, an initial budget of Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) is necessary for the implementation of the Treaty; Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That an appropriation of Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) chargeable against the current year's appropriation for the contingent fund shall be made available for the implementation of the Treaty.

Lapsed into law on May 04, 2009 without the signature of the President, in accordance with Article VI, Section 27 (1) of the Constitution.

H. No. 3906

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-eighth day of July, two thousand eight.

[REPUBLIC ACT No. 9556]

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL IN BARANGAY SAGUCAN, MUNICIPALITY OF VINCENZO SAGUN, PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR TO BE KNOWN AS SAGUCAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Establishment of a National High School.-There is hereby established, under the supervision of the Department of Education, a national high school in Barangay Sagucan, Municipality of Vincenzo Sagun, Province of Zamboanga del Sur to be known as Sagucan National High School.

SEC. 2. Appropriations.-The Secretary of Education shall immediately include in the Department's program the operationalization of Sagucan National High School, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act,.

SEC. 3. Implementation.-The Secretary of Education shall issue such rules and

regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this Act.

SEC. 4. Effectivity.-This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Approved: April 17, 2009.