After the 1956 reorganization, the Tariff Commission became a division of which department?

• A. Department of Finance
• B. Department of Trade and Industry
• C. Office of the President
• D. National Economic and Development Authority

Answer: (A)

When agencies are reorganized, their placement usually reflects where their work best fits with the government’s priorities. The Tariff Commission focused on tariff policy and how it affects government revenue, so placing it under the Department of Finance brings tariff decisions into the same arena as revenue collection and fiscal management. This alignment ensures coordinated policy on imports, duties, and revenue. A department focused on trade and industry would emphasize commerce and production rather than revenue mechanics, making it a less suitable home for a tariff-focused body. The Office of the President isn’t an administrative department, and the National Economic and Development Authority didn’t exist in that form at that time. So it makes sense that the Tariff Commission became a division of the Department of Finance.