Palace junks golf development body

Although she plays golf herself, President Arroyo sees no reason to keep the Golf Course Construction and Development Committee (GCCDC) in operation.

Through Executive Order 190, the President ordered the abolition of the agency that oversees the construction and development of golf courses all over the country.

Invoking only her continuing authority under the Administrative Code of 1987 to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President, Mrs. Arroyo did not even find it necessary to justify her decision.

The GDCC was created during the term of former President Fidel Ramos to adopt standards for the construction, development and operation of golf courses and assist in the evaluation of all applications for the issuance of environmental compliance certificates.

In EO 190, Mrs. Arroyo ordered the transfer of GCCDC’s powers and functions back to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In another directive, the President also ordered the transfer of the National Book Development Board (NDBD) from the Office of the President (OP) to the Department of Education (DepEd).

Since Congress was not in session, Mrs. Arroyo exercised her limited powers to effect the transfer by issuing EO 189, which amended Republic Act 8047, the law which created the NDBD.

Under Section 7 of RA 8047, the NDBD, which was created to formulate, adopt and implement a National Book Policy, was placed under the administrative supervision of the OP.