PROVIDING FOR THE CONVERSION OF DEPARTMENTS INTO MINISTRIES, AND FOR THE SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION THEREFOR.

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 1397
• Sections: 8

Preamble

WHEREAS, the Philippines is presently in a transitional

stage from a presidential to a parliamentary form of government;

WHEREAS, this basic political change requires an adaptive

and corresponding change in the institutional requirements for governance;

WHEREAS, for this purpose it is now necessary to restructure

the organization of the existing departments by converting them into ministries

and defining the hierarchical relationship thereof, including the basic duties

and responsibilities of the principal officers;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the

Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby

order and decree:

Section 1

SECTION 1. The departments of the government shall

henceforth be converted into and known as ministries, and the Secretaries of

such departments now designated as Ministers.

Section 2

SECTION 2. Every Minister shall be assisted by one career

Deputy Minister, unless otherwise provided for by law or by directive of the

President/Prime Minister, and one political Deputy Minister. The Minister shall

exercise supervision and control over the Deputy Ministers.

The career Deputy Minister shall continue to perform the functions of

undersecretaries of departments as provided under Paragraph 4, Article II,

Chapter I, Part II of the Integrated Reorganization Plan as amended, and his

position continue to be covered by the Career Executive Service.

The political Deputy Minister shall serve as liaison between the ministry

and the Interim Batasan Pambansa. He shall be appointed by the President/Prime

Minister from among the members of the Interim Batasan Pambansa, and as such

shall be an officer thereof. He shall serve at the pleasure of the

President/Prime Minister, and may have cabinet rank at the discretion of the

latter.

Section 3

SECTION 3. In addition to the senior officers of a ministry

as provided for above, the President/Prime Minister may appoint from among the

members of the Interim Batasan Pambansa one or more Ministers of State for any

ministry. A Minister of State may be granted cabinet rank, and shall serve at

the pleasure of the President/Prime Minister. He shall have such functions,

duties, and responsibilities as may be assigned him by the President/Prime

Minister, and shall be directly accountable to the latter.

Section 4

SECTION 4. Except as above provided, the present

organizational structure of the departments, now ministries, including those of

the bureaus, agencies and offices under them, shall remain the same unless

otherwise changed by law.

Section 5

SECTION 5. Should any provision of this decree or any part

thereof be declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts thereof

shall continue to be valid and binding.

Section 6

SECTION 6. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and

regulations which are inconsistent with this decree are hereby repealed, altered

or modified accordingly.

Section 7

SECTION 7. This decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 2nd day of June in the year of Our Lord,

nineteen hundred and seventy-eight.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President of the

Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA

Presidential Assistant