WHEREAS, Article X, Section 15 of the Constitution states that:

“There shall be created autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and in the Cordilleras consisting of provinces, cities, municipalities and geographical areas sharing common and distinctive historical structures, and other relevant characteristics within the framework of this Constitution and the national sovereignty as well as territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines”;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the aforesaid mandate, Republic Act No. 6734 entitled, “An Act Providing For An Organic Act For The Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao” was signed into law on August 1, 1989;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Republic Act No. 6734, a plebiscite was held on November 19, 1989 in the provinces and cities identified in Republic Act No. 6734;

WHEREAS, the Commission on Elections, in its Resolution No. 2205 dated November 26, 1989, declared that the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has been approved and/or ratified in the Provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur;

WHEREAS, Article XIX, Section 13 of Republic Act No. 6734 states that:

“The creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao shall take effect when approved by a majority of the votes cast by the constituent units provided in paragraph (2) of Sec. 1 of Article II of this Act in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than ninety (90) days or later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the approval of this Act: Provided, That only the provinces and cities voting favorably in such plebiscite shall be included in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The provinces and cities which in the plebiscite do not vote for inclusion in the Autonomous Region shall remain in the existing administrative regions: Provided, however, That the President may, by administrative determination, merge the existing regions”.

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to reorganize the administrative regions in Mindanao to guarantee the effective delivery of the field services of government agencies taking into consideration the formation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. REGION IX, to known as WESTERN MINDANAO, shall be reorganized to include the following provinces and cities:

Provinces

Zamboanga del Norte	Misamis Occidental
Zamboanga del Sur	Lanao del Norte
Basilan

Cities

Zamboanga	Tangub
Pagadian	Ozamis
Dipolog	Iligan
Dapitan	Marawi
Oroquieta

The City of Pagadian shall serve as the regional center.  The City of Zamboanga shall remain the commercial and industrial center.

SEC. 2. REGION X, to be known as NORTHERN MINDANAO, shall include the following provinces and cities:

Provinces

Agusan del Norte	Camiguin
Agusan del Sur	Bukidnon
Misamis Oriental	Surigao del Norte

Cities

Cagayan de Oro

Gingoog

Butuan

The City of Cagayan de Oro shall serve as the regional center.

SEC. 3. REGION XI, to be known as SOUTHERN MINDANAO, shall include the following provinces and city:

Provinces

Davao del Sur	Davao Oriental
Davao del Norte	Surigao del Sur

City


The City of Davao shall serve as the regional center.

SEC. 4. REGION XII, to be known as the CENTRAL MINDANAO, shall include the following provinces and cities:

Provinces


Cities


The Municipality of Koronadal (Marbel) in South Cotabato shall serve as the regional center.

SEC. 5. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as per the outcome of the November 19, 1989 plebiscite shall be composed of the following provinces:

Provinces

Sulu	Maguindanao
Tawi-Tawi	Lanao del Sur

The City of Cotabato shall serve as the provisional capital until such time as the Regional Assembly shall fix by law the permanent seat of government for ARMM in accordance with Republic Act No. 6734.

SEC. 6. The transfer of the regional centers in the reorganized Regions IX and XII shall be effected within eighteen (18) months from the effectivity of this Executive Order subject to the availability of funds for the purpose.

SEC. 7. The following committees shall supervise the following tasks to be completed by 31 December 1990.

(1) For Region XII

Chairman: Mr. Jesus V. Ayala
Members: Cabinet Officers for Regional Development for Region XI
Cabinet Officer for Regional Development for Region XII
Department of Local Government
National Economic and Development Authority Secretariat
Department of Budget and Management Presidential Staff

This Committees shall supervise the transfer of South Cotabato from Region XI to Region XII, and the organization of the Regional Development Council in the newly reorganized administrative region of Region XII.

(1) For Region XI

Chairman: Sec. Fidel V. Ramos
Members: Cabinet Officer for Regional Development for Region X
Cabinet Officer for Regional Development for Region XII
Chairman of the Regional Development Council for Region X
Department of Local Government
National Economic and Development Authority Secretariat
Department of Budget and Management
Presidential Management Staff

This Committee shall supervise the transfer of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental from Regions XII and X, respectively, to Region IX, as well as the cities of Iligan and Marawi from Region XII to Region IX; and the reorganization of the Regional Development Council in the newly reorganized administrative region of Region IX.

SEC. 8. Regions X and XI shall likewise organize their respective Regional Development Councils as a result of the transfer of some provinces and/or cities to other regions.

SEC. 9. The Committee may call upon any government agency for assistance, and may designate any office to serve as its secretariat.

SEC. 10. All issuance, ordinances, rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 12th day of October, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety.


By the President:

(Sgd.) CATALINO MACARAIG, JR.
Executive Secretary