Aquino abolishes 9 govt agencies

President Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III has formally ordered the abolition of nine government agencies under the Office of the President (OP), three of which were formed by his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Executive Order No. 18, signed last December 9 but released only Thursday, abolished nine agencies which the Aquino government deemed “inoperational." The move was part of the administration’s effort to “improve and systematize" government operations.

President Aquino has thought it high time to trim the top off the government's gordian machinery. GMANews.TV

The government will also be able to save P304 million from the abolition of these offices, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. had earlier said. Among those abolished were three agencies formed during the Arroyo administration: the Office of the Presidential Adviser on New Government Centers, the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Area Program Management Office, and the Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region Program Management Office. Aquino also ordered the abolition of the following government offices, which were deemed to have “unnecessarily duplicated" the functions of other agencies:

Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), whose functions are already being performed by the Bureau of Customs

Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo), whose functions are said to be “redundant" with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)

Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change, said to be “redundant" due to the creation of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) last year

Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project (BRBWMP) and the Minerals Development Council, functions of which may be managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Office of External Affairs, the tasks of which may be managed by the Department of Interior and Local Government Aquino signed last month EO 13, which transferred the functions of the PAGC to the Office of the Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs (ODESLA). According to the executive order, the nine agencies have until December 2011 to completely “wind up" their operations. Government workers who will be affected by the abolition may avail of separation and other benefits provided under existing laws, the order also said. - DM/KBK,GMANews.TV