Establishing a Philippine Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Executive Order No. 271

Establishment of the Philippine Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Section 1: Establishes and creates a Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the World Trade Organization, located in Geneva.

Scope of Powers and Functions
- Section 2: The Mission is considered a distinct diplomatic mission responsible for:
    - Leading trade negotiations
    - Handling trade disputes
    - Representing the Philippines before the WTO
    - Coordinating with the Philippine Mission to the UN and other organizations in Geneva on trade policy discussions before UNCITRAL, UNCTAD, and other designated organizations.

Staffing
- Section 3: The Mission is to be staffed as a conventional diplomatic mission, headed by a Permanent Representative with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Chief of Mission 1, and supported by necessary administrative and technical staff.

Technical Assistance and Support
- Section 4: The Mission shall receive instructions, technical assistance, and support from:
    - Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) - Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations (OUIER) and Office of United Nations & International Organizations (UNIO)
    - Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - International Trade Group, specifically the Bureau of International Trade Relations (TIUS) involved with Committee on Tariffs and Related Matter (CTRM)
    - Department of Agriculture (insofar as agricultural policy is concerned)
    - Any designated branch, department, bureau, office, agency, instrumentality of the government, and government-owned and controlled corporations.

Private Sector Assistance and Support
- Section 5: The Mission shall be able to receive appropriate and necessary logistics, technical or research assistance and support from the private sector community, the academe, trade associations, and NGOs, to the extent permitted by law and regulations.

Funding
- Section 6: The initial appropriations shall be drawn from existing appropriations of the DFA, supplemented by the President's Contingent Fund and other approved sources. Succeeding appropriations shall be incorporated in the budget proposals of the DFA, DTI, Department of Agriculture, or NEDA.

Separability Clause
- Section 7: The provisions of this Order are separable, and if any part is declared unconstitutional, the other unaffected parts shall remain in full force and effect.

Repealing Clause
- Section 8: Any Order, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Effective Clause
- Section 9: This Order shall take effect immediately.