EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 773 January 5, 2009

FURTHER REORGANIZING THE PEACE AND ORDER COUNCIL

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 729 reorganized the Peace and Order Council;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the law, do hereby order and direct the following:

Sec. 1. Further Reorganization of the Peace and Order Council. - The Peace and Order Council is hereby further reorganized on the national, regional, provincial, provincial, city and municipal levels of government to be constituted as follows:

(a) The Chair of the National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) be the Secretary of Interior and Local Government (SILG). The members of the Council shall be composed of the following:

The Director-General of the National Security Council (NSC)

The Executive Secretary

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs

The Secretary of National Defense (SND)

The Secretary of Justice

The Secretary of Agriculture

The Secretary of Agrarian Reform

The Secretary of Public Works

The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development

The Secretary of Health

The Secretary of Trade and Industry

The Secretary of Transportation

The Secretary of Education

The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources

The Press Secretary

The Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board

The Chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples

The Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

The Director-General, Presidential Management Staff

The Director-General, Philippine Information Agency

The Chairperson of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission

The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CSAFP)

The Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP)

The Director of the National Bureau of Investigation

Three (3) Representatives from the private sector who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines.

(b) Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) shall be composed of the region's Provincial Governors, the Mayors of the Highly Urbanized Cities, the Presidents of the Leagues of Municipalities, the regional counterparts of the departments, offices and agencies enumerated in paragraph (a) above, wherever applicable, with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to be appointed by the SILG with the approval of the President of the Philippines from among the members of the Council. In addition, there shall be one representative of the Mayors of the Component Cities to be chosen from among themselves. The Chairman of the RPOC shall appoint the three (3)representatives of the private sector, upon consultation with the members of the Council and upon acquiring the appropriate security clearances. The regional counterpart of the CSAFP shall be the Commander of the Infantry Division. Departments, offices and agencies with no regional and/or field offices shall not sit in the RPOC.

(c) The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) shall be composed of the provincial counterparts of the departments, offices and agencies as enumerated in paragraph (a) above, wherever applicable, with the Provincial Governor as Chairman and the Vice Governor as Vice Chairman. In addition there shall be one representative of the Sangguniang Lalawigan to be chosen by it from among its members. The Chairman of the PPOC shall appoint the three (3) representatives of the private sector, upon consultation with the members of the Council and with the approval of the Commander of the Infantry Division and the Regional Director of the PNP. The provincial counterpart of the CSAFP shall be the Brigade Commander or, or in the case of Palawan, the Commander of the Western Command, Departments, offices and agencies with no provincial and/or field offices shall not sit in the PPOC.

(d) The City or Municipal Peace and Order Council (CPOC or MPOC) shall be composed of the city or municipal counterparts of the departments, offices and agencies as enumerated in paragraph (a) above, wherever applicable, with the Mayor as Chairman and the Vice Mayor as Vice Chairman. In addition, there shall be one representative or the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan, as the case may be, to be chosen by the said Sanggunian from among its members. The Chairman of the CPOC or MPOC shall appoint the three (3) representatives from the private sector, upon consultation with the members of the Council and upon acquiring appropriate security clearances. Departments, offices and agencies with no city, municipal, and/or field offices shall not sit in the CPOC or MPOC.

Sec. 2. Responsibility of the NPOC. - The NPOC shall be responsible for the following functions:

(a) To contribute to the strategies of the National Security Council that would effectively respond to peace and order problems:

(b) To coordinate and monitor peace and order plans;

(c) To provide a forum for inter-disciplinary dialogue and deliberation of major issues and problems affecting peace and order;

(d) To perform such other duties and functions as the President may direct.

Sec. 3 Duties and Functions of Sub-National Councils. - The RPOCs, PPOCs, CPOCs, and MPOCs shall have the following duties and functions:

(a) Provide a forum for dialogue and deliberation of major issues and problems affecting peace and order, including insurgency;

(b) Recommend measures which will improve or enhance peace and order and public safety in their respective areas of responsibility, including anti-insurgency measures;

(c) Recommend measures to converge and orchestrate internal security operations efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police;

(d) Apply moral suasion to and/or recommend sanctions against local chief executives who are giving material and political support to the Communist rebels;

(e) Monitor the provision of livelihood and infrastructure development programs and projects in the remote rural and indigenous population areas adopted to isolate them from the Communist rebels' "Agitate/Arouse, Organize and Mobilize" and ideological, political and organization works;

(f) Perform all other functions assigned by law, the President or the NPOC.

The Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVOs) shall be managed and supervised by the respective Regional, Provincial, City or Municipal Directors of the PNP.

Sec. 4. NPOC Secretariat. - There shall be a NPOC Secretariat headed by the designated Deputy Director General (DDG) of the NSC which shall handle the administrative and technical activities of the Peace and Order Council that is organized in the various administrative levels of government. The Secretariat shall also undertake liasing and coordination of activities with appropriate agencies of the government.

The DDG, NSC designated to head the NPOC Secretariat shall provide synchronized, focused and vigorous implementation of integrated efforts and affirmative actions of the government and shall coordinate and monitor internal security operations (ISO) convergence operations.

The Regional Director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall head the RPOC Secretariat.

At the provincial, city and municipal levels, the Secretariat of the PPOC, CCOC and MPOC shall be headed by the most senior DILG officer stationed in the province, city or municipality.

The Secretariat at each level shall be assisted in its functions and duties by the regular staff of the Council Chairman.

Sec. 5. Regional ISO Coordinating Center. - There is hereby created in each region a Regional ISO Coordinating Center under the RPOC. It shall focus on the coordination of internal security operations (ISO) efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police.

The Infantry Division Commander or his equivalent commander shall act as the Coordinating Officer. The Presidential Assistant for the Region shall mobilize all civilian agencies needed to coordinate with the Infantry Division Commander.

Sec. 6. Kalayaan Barangay. - The Kalayaan Barangay list drawn up by the Department of Defense may be amended, with the approval of the Unified Area Commander, to conform with the need to provide livelihood and infrastructure development programs and projects in the relevant remote rural and indigenous population areas adopted to isolate them from the Communist rebels' "Agitate/Arouse, Organize and Mobilize" and ideological, political and organization works.

Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All prior issuances on the organization and functions of the Peace and Order Council inconsistent herewith shall be deemed superseded by this Order.

Sec. 8. Effectivity. - The Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 5th day of January, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary