(NAR) VOL. 18 NO. 1/JANUARY - MARCH 2007
WHEREAS, it
is the policy of the government to reduce red tape by streamlining
processes and eliminating duplicative cross-agency activities:
WHEREAS,
both the Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) or the Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA) and the Authentication Office of the Office of the
President (AO-OP) perform similar authentication functions;
WHEREAS,
Chapter 1, Article 5, sub-article (F) of the Vienna Convention on
Consular Relations and Optional Protocols of which the Philippines is a
signatory of this Convention provides that a given state's consular
office shall act "as notary and civil registrar and in capacities of a
similar kind, and performing certain function of an administrative
nature'';
WHEREAS,
Executive Order (EO No. 292 s. 1987) mandates the Department of Foreign
Affairs to serve as the official channel for foreign relations,
including official communications to and from the Republic of the
Philippines, and carry out legal documentation functions under pertinent
laws and regulations, among others;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law do hereby order:
Sec. 1. Responsibility for Authentication. The
DFA-OCA is hereby mandated to be the agency solely responsible for
authenticating documents certified as authentic by the issuing agency
office.
In this regard, the AO-OP is hereby directed to transfer
to the DFA-OCA all equipments, furniture, materials, pertinent documents
and other facilities necessary for the operations of authentication
function
Sec. 2. Detail of OP Personnel.
The AO-OP personnel shall be detailed to the DFA-OCA for a maximum of
six (6) months in order for the DFA-OCA to acquire the necessary
competence to carry out the authentication process according to the
service standards set by the one day authentication process of the
AO-OP. After this transition period, personnel detailed from the AOOP to
the DFA-OCA shall have the option to stay in the DFA-OCA or avail of
early retirement privileges,
Sec. 3. Accrual of Proceeds.
Revenues collected or receipts of any kind from the streamlined
authentication process shall be remitted to or deposited intact with the
National Treasury. The DBM shall, however, allocate an appropriate
amount, proposed by the DFA-OCA, for the operations of the office.
Sec. 4. Continuing Research.
The. DFA, in coordination with concerned government agencies, shall
conduct continuing research for further improvements of the
authentication process.
Sec. 5. Rules and Regulations. The DFA Secretary shall issue rules and regulations to implement this Executive Order.
Sec. 6. Repealing Clause.
Letter of Instruction (LOI) 1446 s. 1985, and other issuances or parts
thereof which are Inconsistent with this order are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.
Sec. 7. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila this 4th day of December in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.
(Sgd.) GLORIA M. ARROYO
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITAExecutive Secretary