I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order, in view of the on-going tension in Gaza, the extension of the duration of the operations of the Presidential Middle East Preparedness Committee (PMEPC) to 31 March 2009, unless otherwise directed by the President.

The Committee shall be provided with a funding allocation of Three Million Pesos (P3,000,000.00) for its administrative and operational expenses to be taken from the President鈥檚 Contingency Fund. Additional financial requirements, if necessary, that may be needed by the Committee shall be sourced out by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) from available funds of the concerned PMEPC member-agencies, subject to the usual government accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

All other rules, regulations and issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 14^th day of January, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.


By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary