EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 1034 - REORGANIZING THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON THE LAW OF THE SEA

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 738, dated 3 October 1981 creating the Cabinet Committee on the Law of the Sea, made the Minister for Foreign Affairs as Chairman which was logical in view of the ongoing negotiations for the conclusion of this historic world legislative act;  

WHEREAS, with the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on 10 December 1982 at Montego Bay, Jamaica, and its ratification by the interim Batasang Pambansa during its 6th Regular Session, it has become imperative for the Philippine Government to fully implement the provisions of Presidential Proclamation No. 370 on continental shelf; Presidential Decree No. 1599 on the exclusive economic zone and Presidential Decree No. 1596 on territorial seas as well as other laws and regulations governing exploitation of mineral, marine and aquatic resources of the Filipino nation and its national patrimony;

WHEREAS, under Sec. 2, Article IX of the New Constitution the Prime Minister and the Cabinet shall be responsible to the Batasang Pambansa for the program of government approved by the President;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of powers vested in me under the Constitution, do hereby order:

1. Effective immediately, the Prime Minister shall be the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on the Law of the Sea with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of National Defense, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Trade and Industry, the Minister of Agriculture and Food, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of the Budget, Assemblyman Arturo Tolentino, and Assemblyman Renato Cayetano as members thereof;  

2. The Secretary-General to the Prime Minister shall be the Head of Technical Secretariat of the Cabinet Committee on the Law of the Sea.

3. Accordingly, all appropriations, personnel, records and property and equipment of the Technical Secretariat of the United Nations Law of the Sea presently located at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be immediately turned over to the Technical Secretariat, Office of the Secretary-General.

4. All provisions of existing orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

5. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Since 19.07.98.