Executive Order No. 21, June 19, 2001

CREATING A COORDINATIVE AND INTEGRATIVE SYSTEM ON INTERNAL SECURITY

WHEREAS, insurgency continues to pose a serious threat to national security;

WHEREAS, government response to insurgency requires a holistic approach consisting of political, economic, psycho-social and security components to address the root causes and armed threats of insurgency;

WHEREAS, to coordinate and integrate peace and development in order to enhance the effectiveness of the holistic approach, there is a need to institutionalize a system at the national, sub-national, and local levels;

WHEREAS, it is imperative to provide direction, assign roles and define responsibilities to ensure consistency in the formulation and implementation of national internal security policies, plans and programs;

WHEREAS, there is a need to establish relationships and synchronize the operations of existing government structures to achieve synergism and efficiency.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Creation of a Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security. – A Cabinet Oversight Committee (COC) on Internal Security is hereby constituted, composed of the following:

Executive Secretary	Chairman
Secretary of National Defense	Vice-Chairman
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government	Member
Secretary of Foreign Affairs	Member
Secretary of Justice	Member
Secretary of Agriculture	Member
Secretary of Agrarian Reform	Member
Secretary of Public Works and Highways	Member
Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports	Member
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development	Member
Secretary of Health	Member
National Security Adviser	Member
Director General, National Economic and Development Authority	Member
Press Secretary	Member
Lead Convenor, National Anti-Poverty Commission	Member
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process	Member
Presidential Adviser for Regional Development	Member
Chairman, Commission on Human Rights	Member

Section 2. Functions and Responsibilities of the COC. – The COC, working in close coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority and the National Peace and Order Council, shall:

a. Formulate a National Internal Security Plan (NISP) to implement the “Strategy of Holistic Approach” taking into account the statutory mandates of the departments and agencies and their pertinent plans and programs;

b. Recommend policies to ensure the coordination and integration of government efforts in the execution of the NISP;

c. Develop and implement advocacy programs to encourage and facilitate the active participation of government-owned or controlled corporations, local government units, the business sector and civil society, in the execution of the NISP;

d. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the NISP by the individual departments and agencies; and

e. Identify the areas where sub-national and/or local Internal Security Committees need to be established in accordance with Section 4 hereof, on account of serious threats to national security and public order, subject to the approval of the President.

Section 3. Cabinet Oversight Committee (COC) Instrumentalities.

a. The COC shall have an Executive Committee (EXECOM) composed of the following:

Executive Secretary	Chairman
Secretary of National Defense	Vice-Chairman
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government	Member
Secretary of Justice	Member
National Security Adviser	Member
Press Secretary	Member
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process	Member
Presidential Adviser on Regional Development	Member

The COC EXECOM shall act on all matters requiring immediate attention and/or disposition.

b. The Chairman of the COC EXECOM shall establish and maintain the COC Operations Center at the Department of National Defense (DND).

c. An Inter-Agency Technical Working Group (IATWG) composed of the representatives of the members of the COC shall be created to ensure inter-agency coordination and consultation. The head of the IATWG shall be designated by the Chairman of the COC.

Section 4. Internal Security Committees. – Upon the recommendation of the IATWG, the COC shall organize Internal Security Committees (ISCs) at sub-national and local levels, as follows:

a. At the sub-national level, ISCs may be organized by the COC as deemed necessary based on the insurgency situation prevailing in a specific area which may consist of one or more regions, two or more provinces in the same region, or two or more provinces in different regions, and where the need for holistic government intervention is necessary.

b. At the local level, an ISC may be organized in each province, or chartered city by the COC as deemed necessary. The governor of the province or the mayor of the chartered city where an ISC has been organized may organize ISCs in their respective component cities, municipalities and barangays as applicable and as deemed necessary. The chief executive of the local government unit shall, as a general rule, be its chairman who shall determine its composition.

The sub-national or local ISC so created may be dissolved when the COC has determined that the threat to national security and/or public order in the area has ceased or when so ordered by the President.

Section 5. Functions and Responsibilities of Sub-National ISCs. – The sub-national ISC shall:

a. Ensure that offices of departments and agencies at the sub-national level inform the COC, through their respective central offices, of programs and projects with potential or significant internal security implications and see to it that these offices prioritize the initiation and implementation of programs and projects that address the root causes of insurgency;

b. Coordinate with regional offices of departments and agencies and local government units and monitor the execution of their local components of the NISP;

c. Establish and maintain sub-national Area Coordination Centers as may be deemed necessary; and

d. Submit reports to the COC as required.

Section 6. Functions and Responsibilities of Local ISCs. – The local ISC, in coordination with the local Peace and Order Council and the local Development Council, shall:

a. Provide direction in the planning of, and coordinate the, internal security efforts in the area;

b. Execute the policies directed by the COC in the implementation of the NISP;

c. Organize and supervise the operations of local Area Coordination Centers;

d. Make a periodic assessment of the prevailing situation and evaluate the effectiveness of the coordination and integration of internal security programs in place; and

e. Submit reports to the COC, and the sub-national ISCs, as directed.

Section 7. Functions of Local Area Coordination Centers. – The local Area Coordination Centers shall:

a. Serve as a point of contact between and among concerned government offices and agencies in the coordination and integration of internal security activities;

b. Provide a communication facility on a twenty-four (24) hour basis;

c. Undertake monitoring functions for the COC and ISCs at the sub-national and local levels; and

d. Direct a timely, coordinated and integrated initial response to crisis situations.

Section 8. Funding. – An initial funding of TWENTY MILLION PESOS (P20,000,000.00) for the maintenance of the COC Operations Center and the sub-national Area Coordination Centers shall be drawn from the Presidents Contingent Fund. Fund requirements for the COC Operations Center and the sub-national Area Coordination Centers for the succeeding years shall be included in the DND budget.

Section 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The COC is hereby empowered to issue the necessary rules and regulations and other guidelines to implement this Order.

Section 10. Repeal. – Administrative Order No. 90 dated October 6, 1999 is hereby repealed. All other orders and issuances, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 11. Effectivity. – This Order shall take effect immediately upon approval.

City of Manila, June 19, 2001.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO

Executive Secretary