EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 370 - STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution mandates as a policy of the State the protection and advancement of the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accordance with the rhythm and harmony of nature;

WHEREAS, the Philippines formally adopted sustainable development as a guiding principle in development efforts through the adoption of a national conservation strategy for sustainable development which was presented by the country during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro;

WHEREAS, the UNCED adopted a resolution for the creation of a Sustainable Development Commission that will evaluate and monitor adherence to the agreements and commitments made in Rio and urged governments to form similar bodies that will ensure that activities at the national level are implemented and coordinated with global efforts;

WHEREAS, the creation of the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) on 01 September 1992, by virtue of Executive Order No. 15, is a manifestation of the country’s adherence to the principles set forth in Rio and ensures that these commitments are implemented, periodically monitored and coordinated;

WHEREAS, the PCSD, through effective collaborative efforts with civil society and financial support from the United Nations Development Programme — Capacity 21 facility, initiated the formulation of the Philippine Agenda (PA) 21, a consensus document which is envisioned to guide the sustainable development path of the country;

WHEREAS, the PA 21, which is built upon the principles of subsidiary (self-governance), consensus building, open access and multi-stakeholdership, embodies the common resolve of government, business and the civil society to operationalize the sustainable development vision;

WHEREAS, the operationalization of the PA 21 requires the integration of the various overarching dimensions and components of sustainable development and the need for participation of government, business and civil society;

WHEREAS, it is necessary to strengthen the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development to institutionalize the support of other key sectors of the society and to further enhance its ability to coordinate planning and policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation in the pursuit of sustainable development;

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

Section 1. Strengthening the PCSD. — The Philippine Council for Sustainable Development, hereafter referred to as the Council, is hereby strengthened, structurally and functionally, in accordance with the provisions of this Executive Order.

Sec. 2. Composition of the Council. —

1. The Chairperson of the Council shall be the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning as NEDA Director-General and Chair of the POPCOM Board of Commissioners, with the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as Vice-Chairperson.

2. The members of the Council from government shall be regular officers from the following departments with a rank of director or higher, duly deputized to represent their respective secretaries and committed to the cause of sustainable development:

a. Department of Foreign Affairs

b. Department of Science and Technology

c. Department of Finance

d. Department of Agriculture

e. Department of Public Works and Highways

f. Department of Education, Culture and Sports

g. Department of Labor and Employment

h. Department of Health

i. Department of Trade and Industry

j. Department of Interior and Local Government

k. Department of Social Welfare and Development

l. Department of Budget and Management

m. Department of National Defense

n. Department of Energy

o. Department of Transportation and Communication

p. Department of Agrarian Reform