Department of Commerce and Police On September 6, 1901, the
Philippine Commission established the Department of Commerce (and Police) of the
Insular Government.
Luke Edward Wright was its first commissioner from 1901 to 1904. He was succeeded by
William Cameron Forbes, future
Governor-General of the Philippines, who served as its commissioner from 1904 through 1909.
Department of Commerce and Communications After the Philippine Commission was abolished, the Department of Commerce and Police was reorganized as the Department of Commerce and Communications, enacted by the
Philippine Legislature in November 1916 and became fully effective on January 15, 1917.
Dionisio Jakosalem was appointed as the department's secretary and Cayetano Lavadia as its undersecretary.
Department of Commerce and Industry (DCI) After
World War II, President
Manuel Roxas issued
Executive Order (EO) No. 94 on October 4, 1947, creating the Department of Commerce and Industry (DCI). Cornelio Balmaceda, a much sought-after
professor of
economics and director of the Bureau of Commerce (BOC), was appointed acting secretary of the newly created Department of Commerce and Industry. Prior to
EO 94, the Bureau of Commerce was tasked to develop and promote the country's trade and industry, under the overall supervision of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, as stipulated by
Act 4007 by the Philippine Legislature, enacted on December 5, 1932. By 1972, the DCI had grown into a big organization with 10 regular bureaus and 22 agencies under its direct supervision. The DCI was mandated to promote, develop, expand, regulate and control of foreign and domestic trade and industry, as well as tourism. To have closer supervision and to ensure more effective delivery of services, President
Ferdinand E. Marcos issued
Presidential Decree (PD) 189 on May 11, 1973, creating the Department of Tourism to handle all tourism-related matters. A year later on June 21, 1974, Marcos issued
PD 488 creating the Department of Industry whose principal function was to promote and enhance the growth of the country's existing and thriving industries. On June 2, 1975, the Department of Trade was created under
PD 721 to pursue efforts of the government toward strengthening the country's socio-economic development, particularly in the area of commercial activities. A key strategy of the new department was vigorous export promotion to generate much needed foreign exchange. A Bureau of Foreign Trade was also particularly established to push for domestic trade and marketing programs. In the early 1980s, this goal of national economic development required the need to hew industrial promotion efforts with the expansion of Philippine trade overseas. This resulted in the creation of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) on July 27, 1981, which took over the functions of the subsequently abolished Departments of Trade and of Industry. Drastic changes followed after the
1986 EDSA Revolution. President
Corazon Aquino signed
Executive Order No. 133 on February 27, 1987, effectively reorganizing the Ministry of Trade and Industry and renaming it the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). This was further strengthened by the issuance of
Executive Order 292 (Administrative Code of 1987). Other latter legislations have also amended its functions and structures. ==Organizational structure==