MALACANANG: Mirvta BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES: EXECUTIVE ORDER NO.707 OPENING THE PORT OF APARRI AS A PRINCIPAL PORT OF ENTRY PURSUANT TO SECTION 702 OF THE TARIFF AND CUSTOMS CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES AS AMENDED IN RELATION TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7922 OR ‘THE CAGAYAN SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE ACT OF 1985. WHEREAS, Hopublc Act No, 7922, enliled “ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL ECOMOMIC ZONE AND FREE PORT INTHE MUNICIPALITY OF SANTA ANA AND THE NEIGHBORING /SLANDS INTHE MUNICIPALITY OF APARRI, PROVINCE OF CAGAYAN, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES" provides that 16 thu “pokcy of {he govamimant to actively encourage, promote, induce and atvelarale a sound ai bulanaad indust/lal, wconomic are social developmen of he cuuniry ir onder lo provide jab Jo te peuple waicially INOS hy He eure areas, locrease thar productivity and thei individual and tandy ineame, and Hereby inprove the evel and quality of thee condition though) te wstabhatinonl among olhars, ct special esoniortie Zoned and free pore) ayiuable arid otrates\c localions in fhe country ‘and. through measures that shall eftectivey altract ogiinate and productive tonige Investments’: WHEREAS, Ihc opening of the Port of Apaitt blo a exisloms prineial port of ssuity well comple effors io accidkerate luther not just the eaunomic growls Lt he {otal development of the Cagayan Spactal Eonorme Zone, WHEREAS, upgrading the status of the Patt ol Apart inl 2 prineipal por ot eniry will enable said port to avail of the manpower kamplunwnt and vifwr (eSources tum national government agence sud) as Ing Bureau of Gusions, ihuteby hastening inhsstaiclure anal systems development whit will faaull Wy the por ane {he Cagayan Froapont Zone atracling mare nvestors ari ole lacatots: WHEREAS, the expansiun of ecadamic activity wilt the port roxuires thet tho Por of Aparn be acconled the status as 3 principal port of entry: NOW, THEREFORE, |, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, Presiden! of thw Repub of the Fullppings, by virtua of the powers vasted in me by law, do Hareby ior Section 1 Upgruting of dw Port of Apari and opening i as a Prinigal Port oF nto’ — The pintiont Port of Apivil is horaby opened and deckited as 3 principal post of eitry to be knawer a thus Olstct Par of Apart Sootion 2, Auttiorty of the Canurasshv ier of Custos fo-deline the jinsdictenal lnats of the ceatection divi witected ~ The Commissioner of Customs, sutyact to te approval of Ihe Soctolity of Fitence puruan la Section TOT at the Tan and Castors Conte of the Phulinpines (TCCP), aa amercied, ia Herwby authorize to redefine the jurisdictional bourcavtad of the Port of San Femarvio ane! lo delineate te junctional finils of the naw Principal Port of Entry wich shoal econ Customs Collection Disixet No. XV and to be knawitats the Disiet Port of Apt AMMCollection Distric! XV ol the Collection Disukel of Apart shall have jurtadiction ‘over the entire provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes, Nuevir Vizcaya, Quirino and such other areas as shall be added by the Commissioner of Customs, excluding the area covered by the Freeport created under Republic Act No. 7922, It shall have the ports of Cunmao, Tuguegarao Alport and the Laoag Inlemalional Aiport as its sub pois, Section 3, Relafionsty botwoen the Cagayan Freeport Zonu Authority and tho: Bureau of Customs. ~ To ensure the smooth operation of Port frene, as @ subport of the Distiict Port of Apa, and taking into account the peculiar characteristics thereof, the 5 Bureau of Customs and the Cagayan Freeport Zone Authanty (CFZA} shall, within thirly (20) days fram the eflectivily of this orlos. enler inla a Memorandum of Agisement dotining their working relalionships and lve treainent of all cargoes entering oF leaving the fteepott zon0. Section 4. Authority of thle Comnussioner of Customs to designate the officials of the Port of Apart. — The New Collection District No, XV, alsa known as the District Part of Apart, shall be headed by a Collector of Customs V, to be assisted by suct Deputy Collaciars of Customs as may be determined and designated by the Commissionor of Customs. Each subport under the Disirict Port of Apam shal be likewise headed by Port Collectors, to be assisted by auch Denuty Part Collectors of Cusioms as may be determined and designated by the Commissioner of Customs. Soction 6. Implementing Authonty. ~ Sutyect to the approval of the Secretary of Finanoe, the Commissioner of Customs ts hereby authorized to determine the personnel requirernents of the District Part ef Agar. taking into account the principles of economy, efficiency and wflectiveness, For lhis purpose, he may, sizbject to appitcable Civil Service mules and regulations, issue the needed orders (o effect the transfer or movement or personne! froin any organizational unit of the Bureau lo the Port Irene. Section 6. Appropstaions. - Funds tor the intial operations of the District Port of Apani shall be drawn from the available tunds of the Bureau of Customs and Subsequent appropriations shall be incorporated inlo its budget proposals, subject 10 existing budgeting, accounting and aukiting Laws and plocedures. Section 7. Elfectivity. ~ This Executive Order shall take ellect fiiteer (15) days. following the completion of iis publication in the Official Gazette or In a newspaper of general circulation. Done | the City of Manila, this 18th day of Februneyn the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Right. bi thatindiee a Mt oy om Aut ney EDUARDO R. ERMITA Executive Socralary