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WHEREAS, there exists a need to create awareness and inform the public about the actions of government and the national leadership in its task of rebuilding a strong and dynamic nation;

WHEREAS, the national leadership, which has committed itself to the ideals of press freedom, has seen if not to abdicate its share or voice in the formulation of public opinion;

WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon the national leadership to provide true and correct information to the public;

WHEREAS, it is necessary for the government to utilize and consolidate as much of its information resources as possible to ensure an effective and efficient information role;

WHEREAS, the Office of the Press Secretary was precisely created to ensure that the government's point of view is communicated to the public especially on issues affecting the nation's welfare;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me, by the Fundamental Law of the Land, do hereby order and direct;

SECTION 1. The expansion of the scope of responsibility, authority and accountability of the Office of the Press Secretary, incorporating and absorbing under its control and supervision the following government information arms:

1.1	The Bureau of National and Foreign Information and all its subsidiary offices. (International Press Center, Philippine News Agency and its national and foreign information offices)
1.2	Radio and Television - Malacañang
1.3	Presidential Press Staff and sub-offices under it.
1.4	People's Television 4 (formerly Maharlika Broadcasting System) and its affiliate stations
1.5	The Bureau of Broadcasts and all radio stations under its control and supervision
1.6	Radyo ng Bayan (formerly the Voice of the Philippines) and all radio stations under it

SECTION 2. Functions. The expanded OPS shall perform the following functions:

2.1	Provide information to the public utilizing all government media services under its control;
2.2	Coordinate the functions of above listed offices for the purpose of providing government with its "share of voice" in the free mass media environment;
2.3	Administer the functions and support services needed to fulfill its responsibilities;
2.4	Develop, propose and implement the necessary policy guidelines and mechanisms pertinent to its main functions of speaking on behalf of the government and the national leadership;
2.5	Rationalize a viable and manageable government-owned information structure that will provide the government with instantaneous access to the people;
2.6	Develop and manage a feedback mechanism that shall provide the people a venue to contribute to the creation of policies affecting them;
2.7	Organize and maintain field offices where necessary, domestically and internationally, to ensure that government information reaches the intended target audiences.

SECTION 3. This Executive Order formally transfers control of above listed government information arms to the authority and control of the Office of the Press Secretary. All appropriations, equipment and personnel under them are hereby transferred to the Office of the Press Secretary.

The Office of the Press Secretary is hereby given authority and responsibility to restructure above listed offices as it sees fit inorder to effectively and efficiently carry out its task of providing information to the public.

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. All laws, Executive Order, proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5. The Office of the Press Secretary as amended, is hereby declared a critical agency. As such, the Compensation Plan for the Office of the President (Proper) authorized under E.O. No. 530 dated March 31, 1979 shall apply to certain positions in the Office of the Press Secretary effective December 1, 1986.

The Ministry of Budget and Management is directed to implement this Order.

SECTION 6. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 17th day of December, in the year of our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Six.


Attest:

(Sgd.) JOKER P. ARROYO
Executive Secretary