WHEREAS, one of the strategic measures for global competitiveness in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan is to reduce red tape in all government agencies to reduce transactions costs;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by the power vested in me by Constitution and the laws of the Philippines, do hereby order:

1. There is hereby established an Anti-Red Tape Task Force ("Task Force") with full-time members from the Presidential Management Staff, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Export Development Council Secretariat, and the National Anti-Poverty Commission as members. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry shall likewise be invited to be send a representative who shall participate full-time in the activities of the Task Force.

2. The Secretary of Trade and Industry shall be the Chairman of the Task Force. There shall be a full-time operations officer coming from the Export Development Council Secretariat.

3. The Task Force shall handle the Anti-Red Tape Module of the forthcoming National Competitiveness Summit and shall be incorporated into the National Competitiveness Council to be established in the said Summit.

4. All executive issuances inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

5. This Executive Order takes effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 8^th day of August in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President: