MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 217, September 15, 1995 ]
CREATING THE SOUTH-CENTRAL MINDANAO REHABILITATION TASK FORCE (SOUTHCENMIN-RTF)
WHEREAS, the recent floods which affected the provinces of South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato resulted in the loss of lives, displacement of thousands of families and damage to properties, crops, and infrastructure facilities to millions of pesos in the areas concerned.
WHEREAS, the above-mentioned provinces have already been declared By the President as calamity areas;
WHEREAS, there is a need to coordinate relief and rehabilitation efforts between the local government units and the national line agencies concerned in these four provinces especially since these provinces are covered by two regions and ARMM;
WHEREAS, the creation of a special body would facilitate the coordination and implementation of plans, programs, and projects for area-wide infrastructure rehabilitation and livelihood restoration;
NOW THEREFORE I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by the power vested in me by law, do hereby order the creation of the South-Central Mindanao Rehabilitation Task Force (SOUTHCENMIN-RTF) covering the provinces of South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato.
Section 1. Composition. - The Task Force shall be composed of a Policy Advisory Group, Technical Working Groups, four (4) Provincial Task Groups, and a Secretariat.
The Policy Advisory Group (PAG) is composed of the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao as Chairman, and Governors of Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and Maguindanao and senior representatives of DPWH; DA; DENR; DSWD; DILG; RDCC XII; RDCC ARMM; 6th ID; PA; ARMM; OCD and Private Sector representatives as members.
The Presidential Assistant for Mindanao, in addition to his other duties, shall be the overall Chairman and head of the Task Force.7!ᕼdMᗄ7
Permanent representatives of various agencies designated by their respective Department Secretaries or Chiefs of Offices shall have a position not lower than Director or its equivalent rank. The Chairman of the Task Force Shall appoint private sector representatives to the body.
There shall be Technical Working Groups (TWG) to be organized, but not limited to, as follows: Rescue and Relief, Livelihood, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Public Information, and Peace and Security.
There shall be four (4) Provincial Task Groups (PTG) to be organized with the Provincial Governors as Chairmen which shall coordinate and monitor the over-all implementation of projects in their respective provinces.
A Secretariat shall be organized to be headed by an Executive Director which shall provide the administrative and technical support. The Chairman of the Task Force shall appoint/designate the Executive Director.
Section 2. Powers and Functions. - The Task Force shall have the following powers and functions:
a. Develop area-wide infrastructure rehabilitation programs and projects;
b. Develop area-wide livelihood restoration programs and projects;
c. Establish priorities based on the identified programs and projects;
d. Access funds, services, and other resources from existing government programs and projects;
e. Allocate resources and coordinate fund releases and other resources based on identified priorities;
f. Coordinate and monitor the implementation of the projects;
g. Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented projects;
h. Submit periodic progress reports to the President and NDCC and other reports as may be necessary;
i. Call on any government agency or instrumentality for any support requirement; and
j. Perform such other functions and responsibilities as the President may direct.
Section 3. Secretariat. - The Secretariat shall be under the direction of the Task Force Chairman/Presidential Assistant for Mindanao. To augment this Secretariat, additional staff from other offices may be detailed or seconded to this task force, or full-time personnel may be contracted whenever necessary.
Section 4. Operating Guidelines. - The Policy Advisory Group shall develop and promulgate operating guidelines pertaining to the internal operations of the Task Force.
Section 5. Secretariat Budget. - The Secretariat shall have an initial administrative and technical budget in the amount of TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000.00) to be sourced from the Calamity Fund subject to replenishment from any other available funds.
Section 6. Duration. - The Task Force will operate for a period of one (1) year and may continue to exist for a longer period as directed By the President.
Section 7. Effectivity. - This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 15th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety-five.
(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary
The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation
