MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 17, March 22, 2024 ]
CONSTITUTING THE NATIONAL ORGANIZING COUNCIL FOR THE PHILIPPINE HOSTING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) SUMMIT MEETINGS IN 2026, DEFINING ITS MANDATES, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHEREAS, the Philippines is one (1) of the founding members of the ASEAN and a signatory to the ASEAN Charter which entered into force on 15 December 20008;
WHEREAS, the ASEAN Summit Meetings is a biannual series of meetings hosted by the member state holding the ASEAN Chairpersonship, and attended by the leaders of ASEAN member states to discuss relevant economic, political, security, and socio-cultural development matters;
WHEREAS, during the 43rd ASEAN Summit Meetings in September 2023, the ASEAN leaders agreed that the Philippines will assume the Chairpersonship of ASEAN and host the ASEAN Summit Meetings in 2026 (ASEAN 2026);
WHEREAS, it is imperative to constitute a National Organizing Council to organize, manage and supervise all major and ancillary programs, activities and projects related to the hosting of ASEAN 2026 in the country;
WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control over all Executive departments, bureaus and offices, and the mandate to ensure the faithful execution of laws; and
WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of Executive Order (EO) No. 292 or the "Administrative Code of 1987: provides that the President shall have the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President (OP);
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR., President of the Republic of the Philippines, by the virtue of the powers vested in me by Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:
Section 1. National Organizing Council. The ASEAN National Organizing Council (NOC) is hereby constituted to facilitate the planning, implementation and monitoring of programs, activities and projects for the hosting of ASEAN 2026. The ASEAN NOC shall be composed of the following:
| Chairperson |
: |
Executive Secretary |
| Vice-Chairperson for ASEAN Political Community |
: |
Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) |
| Vice-Chairperson for ASEAN Economic Community |
: |
Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) |
| Vice-Chairperson for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community |
: |
Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) |
| Members |
: |
Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ; |
|
|
Secretary, Department of National Defense (DND) ; |
|
|
Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ; |
|
|
Secretary, Department of Transportation (DOTr); |
|
|
Secretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) |
|
|
Secretary, Department of Tourism (DOT) |
|
|
Secretary, Department of Budget and Management (DBM); and |
|
|
Secretary, Presidential Communications Office (PCO). |
The Chief Executives of local government units (LGUs) selected to serve as the sites for the hosting of ASEAN 2026 may be invited as Special Members of the ASEAN NOC. As may be necessary, the ASEAN NOC may invite or require the participation of such other govenrment agencies to assist in the performance of its functions, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations.
The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and members of the ASEAN NOC may designate their respective alternates who shall be fully authorized to decide for and on their behalf. The designated alternates of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and members of the ASEAN NOC shall have ranks not lower than an Undersecretary or its equivalent.
The ASEAN NOC shall have regular meetings, and such special meetings as may be called upon by the Chairperson or his representative when deemed necessary.
Section 2. Duties and Functions of the ASEAN NOC. The ASEAN NOC shall perform the following functions:
a. Within 60 days from the issuance of this Order, formulate and submit for the President's approval a Master Plan for the country's hosting of ASEAN 2026. The Master Plan shall include, among others, the estimated budget for the hosting of ASEAN 2026 and its related meetings, and necessary communication mechanisms to ensure efficient and effective coordination among member-agencies;
b. Monitor the implementation of the Master Plan, as well as the Work Plans of the ASEAN NOC Committees under Section 5 hereof, and ensure proper coordination among all concerned agencies relative to the implementation of this Order.
c. Submit periodic reports to the President throughout the duration of the country's hosting of ASEAN 2026; and
d. Perform such other functions as may be necessary or incidental to its mandate or as may be directed by the President and/or the Executive Secretary.
Section 3. NOC Executive Committee. To ensure that the programs, activities and projects necessary for the preparation of the hosting of ASEAN 2026 will run continuously, smoothly, efficiently, and effectively, the NOC Executive Committee (ExeCom) is hereby created. The Director-General for Operations under Section 6 hereof shall serve as head of the NOC ExeCom, while a representative, with a rank not lower than an Assistant Secretary, from the following agencies shall serve as members thereof:
a. DFA;
b. DTI;
c. DSWD;
d. DBM;
e. DPWH;
f. DILG;
g, DND;
h. DOTr;
i. DICT;
j. DOT;
k. PCO;
l. Department of Finance (DOF);
m. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR);
n. National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA);
o. Office of the Executive Secretary (OES);
p. Presidential Management Staff (PMS);
q. Office of the National Security Adviser;
r. Office of Presidential Protocol; and
s. Other agencies as may be deemed necessary by the ASEAN NOC.
Section 4. Duties and Functions of the NOC ExeCom. The NOC ExeCom shall perform and act, by majority vote of all its members, on such specific matters not otherwise within the exclusive competence of the ASEAN NOC and as may be delegated to it, such as:
a. Manage the implementation of the Master Plan approved by the President, and supervise all activities related to the execution thereof;
b. Recommend to the ASEAN NOC, as may be necessary, modifications or improvements to the Master Plan to ensure the successful hosting of ASEAN 2026;
c. Issue implementing rules and instructions necessary and appropriate to effectively execute the Master Plan;
d. As may be necessary, call upon the assistance of any government official, employee, agency or instrumentality to carry out the objectives of this Order and the Master Plan, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations; and
e. Submit periodic reports to the ASEAN NOC Chairperson throughout the duration of the hosting of ASEAN 2026.
Section 5. ASEAN NOC Committees. The NOC ExeCom shall be assisted by seven (7) Committees to be in-charge of the following functional areas of responsibility:
| FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY |
LEAD AGENCIES |
| a. Security, Peace and Order, and Emergency Preparedness and Response |
DILG |
| b. Infrastructure |
DPWH |
| c. Transport and Telecommunications |
DOTr and DICT |
| d. Tourism Hospitality, Tours, Social Events and Site Enhancement |
DOT |
| e. Finance, Budget and Procurement |
DBM |
| f. Business and Investment Promotion |
DTI |
| g. Media Affairs and Strategic Communications |
PCO |
The general mandates and membership of each Committee is provided under Annex A hereof. The ASEAN NOC is hereby authorized to continuously assess and evaluate, and on the basis thereof, reorganize the composition and functional areas of responsibility of the Committees. The Director-General for Operations under Section 6 is hereby included as a member of all Committees.
The Chief Executives of LGUs selected to serve as the site for the hosting of ASEAN 2026 may be invited as Special Members of the ASEAN NOC Committees. Secretariat support for each ASEAN NOC Committees shall be provided by the respective lead agencies.
Within 30 days from the issuance of this Order, the NOC Committees are hereby directed to formulate and submit to the ASEAN NOC their respective Work, Financial and Budget Plans.
Section 6. Office of the Director-General for Operations. The Office of the Director-General for Operations (ODGO) is hereby created under the OP. The ODGO shall serve as the implementing arm of the ASEAN NOC, and shall provide technical and secretariat support thereto.
The ODGO shall be led by a Director-General who shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the ASEAN NOC Chairperson. The Director-General shall have the rank of Undersecretary.
The Director-General, in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Finance and Administration, shall determine the organizational structure, appropriate staffing pattern and corresponding qualification standards for all positions in the ODGO, subject to existing laws, rules and regulation. Pending the approval of the organizational structure and staffing pattern of ODGO, personnel of ASEAN NOC member-agencies may be detailed or assigned to the ODGO, subject to applicable Civil Service laws, rules and regulations.
The initial funding requirements necessary for the operationalization of ODGO shall be charged against the available appropriation of the OP and such other funding sources may be identified by the DBM. Thereafter, the funding requirements necessary for the purpose shall be included in the budget proposal of the OP, subject to the usual budget preparation process.
Section 7. Special Committee of Senior Officials for Substantive Matters. The Special Committee of Senior Officials for Substantive Matters (Special Committee) is hereby created to formulate and advance the agenda, substantive theme, priorities, strategies and activities of the Philippines as Chairperson of ASEAN 2026. The Special Committee shall be composed of :
| Chairperson |
: |
DFA Senior Officials Meeting Leader |
| Co-Chairpersons |
: |
DTI Senior Economic Officials Meeting Leader |
|
|
DSWD Senior Officials Committee for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Committee Leader |
| Members |
: |
Member-agencies of the ASEAN Matters Technical Board of the Philippine Council for Regional Cooperation under Administrative Order No. 20 (s. 2011) |
The DFA Office of ASEAN Affairs shall provide technical and administrative support to the Special Committee.
Section 8. Agency Support. All national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and govenrment financial institutions are hereby directed, and all LGUs are hereby encouraged, to render support and assistance for the effective and efficient implementation of this Order.
For this purpose, all concerned agencies shall designate an internal ASEAN Hosting Team and Focal Person, who shall serve as the point-of-contact for all communications and coordination related to the country's hosting of ASEAN 2025. The ASEAN Hosting Team of each agency shall regularly submit to the ExeCom reports on the status of the agency's activities relative to the hosting of ASEAN 2026.
Section 9. Funding. The initial funding requirements necessary for the implementation of this Order, including the operationalization of the ASEAN NOC, shall be charged against the available appropriations of the OP and other member-agencies of the ASEAN NOC, subject to pertinent budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations. Thereafter, the funding requirements necessary for the hosting of ASEAN 2026 shall be included in the budget proposal of said agencies, subject to the usual budget preparation process.
The funding requirements necessary for the ASEAN NOC for FYs 2025 and 2026 shall be incorporated in the budget proposal of the OP, subject to the usual budget preparation process.
Section 10. Administrative Guidelines and Orders. Within 30 days from the effectivity of this Order, the ASEAN NOC and/or ExeCom shall formulate and issue guidelines for the effective implementation of this Order, which shall include, among others, specific duties and functions of the ASEAN NOC Committees and timelines for the preparation of the Philippine hosting of ASEAN 2026.
Section 11. Cessation. The ASEAN NOC, its Committees, and ExeCom shall only convene meetings related to the Philippine hosting of ASEAN 2026.
Except for the settlement of obligations and other commitments to third persons incurred during the effectivity of this AO and for purposes of winding-up its operations, the ASEAN NOC, ASEAN NOC Committees, NOC ExeCom, ODGO, and all other bodies as may be established pursuant to this AO, including the authority and functions of the Chairperson and the member-agencies herein, shall be functus officio within thirty (30) calendar days from the conclusion of ASEAN 2026, and not in any case later than 31 January 2027.
Section 12. Separability. If the provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.
Section 13. Repeal. All issuances, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order are hereby revoked and/or modified accordingly.
Section 14. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation, and shall remain in full force and effect until 31 January 2027.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 22nd day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Four.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR.
By the President:
(Sgd.) LUCAS P. BERSAMIN
Executive Secretary
ANNEX A
GENERAL MANDATES AND MEMBERSHIP OF ASEAN NATIONAL ORGANIZING COUNCIL COMMITTEES
1. Committee on Security, Peace and order, Emergency Preparedness and Response. The Committee shall oversee and direct the overall preparations for security, peace and order, and emergency preparedness and response for the Philippine hosting of ASEAN 2026.
| Chairperson |
: |
Department of the Interior and Local Government |
| Members |
: |
Department of National Defense |
|
|
National Security Council |
|
|
Department of Health |
|
|
Department of Social Welfare and Development |
|
|
National Intelligence Coordinating Agency |
|
|
Presidential Security Command |
|
|
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council |
|
|
Department of Foreign Affairs (Office of Intelligence Services) |
|
|
Department of Science and Technology |
|
|
Department of Information and Communications Technology |
|
|
Armed Forces of the Philippines |
|
|
Philippine National Police |
|
|
Bureau of Immigration |
|
|
Metro Manila Development Authority |
|
|
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines |
|
|
Bureau of Fire Protection |
|
|
Department of transportation (Office for Transport Security and Philippine Coast Guard) |
2. Committee on Infrastructure. The Committee shall direct the overall improvement and maintenance of all facilities and critical infrastructure, such as road,s bridges, ports, airports, including the availability of energy services (i.e., oil and electric power) to ensure the country's readiness to host ASEAN 2026.
| Chairperson |
: |
Department of Public Works and Highways |
| Members |
: |
Department of Transportation |
|
|
Department of Information and Communications Technology |
|
|
Department of Budget and Management |
|
|
Department of Energy |
|
|
Department of the Interior and Local Government |
|
|
Metro Manila Development Authority |
3. Committee on Transport and Communications. In coordination with the Committee on Security, the Committee on Transport and Communications shall ensure the availability, efficiency, and security of all transportation and telecommunications requirements for the hosting of ASEAN 2026, and facilitate the safe and secure movement of persons, cargo, and equipment in all the activities during the event.
| Chairperson |
: |
Department of Transportation |
| Members |
: |
Department of Information and Communications Technology |
|
|
Department of Public Works and Highways |
|
|
Department of the Interior and Local Government |
|
|
Department of National Defense |
|
|
Bureau of Customs |
|
|
Metro Manila Development Authority |
4. Committee on Tourism Hospitality, Tours, Social Events and Site Enhancement. The Committee shall plan, execute and supervise all cultural events including dinner shows and tours, supervise welcome receptions at the ports of entry and social events, and plan, execute and supervise the enhancements of sites that will be used for ASEAN 2026 in cooperation with the concerned LGUs.
| Chairperson |
: |
Department of Tourism |
| Members |
: |
Department of Foreign Affairs |
|
|
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Authority |
|
|
Department of the Interior and Local Government |
|
|
Cultural Center of the Philippines |
|
|
Metro Manila Development Authority |
|
|
National Commission on Culture and the Arts |
|
|
Department of Social Welfare and Development |
|
|
Department of Public Works and Highways |
5. Committee on Finance, Budget and Procurement. The Committee shall ensure the approval and timely release of budget for the hosting, address the procurement requirements from various Committees for all activities and improvements necessary for the hosting of ASEAN 2026, and coordinate with all Committees for their financial and procurement requirements.
| Chairperson |
: |
Department of Budget and Management |
| Members |
: |
Office of the President |
|
|
Government Procurement Policy Board |
|
|
Department of Trade and Industry |
|
|
Department of Social Welfare and Development |
1aшphi1
|
|
Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management |
|
|
Department of Foreign Affairs (Office of Financial Management Services) |
6. Committee on Business and Investment Promotion. The Committee shall engage the international business community, investors, governments, and other stakeholders, and organize and supervise potential business and investment-related activities, including trade expositions and missions, investment roadshows, and other promotional activities.
| Chairperson |
: |
Department of Trade and Industry |
| Members |
: |
Department of Finance |
|
|
Department of Tourism |
|
|
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority |
|
|
Department of Agriculture |
|
|
Department of Environment and Natural Resources |
|
|
Philippine Economic Zone Authority |
|
|
Board of Investments |
|
|
Department of Foreign Affairs |
|
|
National Competitiveness Council |
|
|
Mindanao Development Authority |
7. Committee on Media Affairs and Strategic Communications. The Committee shall ensure the proper management of public information regarding the Philippine Chairpersonship of the ASEAN, and the hosting of ASEAN 2026, including the provision of facilities for media and coverage of public events, formulate communication plans and craft strategic messages for dissemination to the public.
| Chairperson |
: |
Presidential Communications Office |
| Members | 1aшphi1
: |
Department of Trade and Industry |
|
|
Department of Foreign Affairs |
|
|
Department of Social Welfare and Development |
The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation
