EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 304 August 31, 1987
AUTHORIZING THE TASK FORCE ON REFUGEE ASSISTANCE AND ADMINISTRATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO RESPECTIVELY ISSUE IDENTITY PAPERS AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO REFUGEES STAYING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND PRESCRIBING GUIDELINES THEREFOR
WHEREAS, the Republic of the Philippines is a signatory to the 1951 Convention (and the 1967 Protocol) Relating to the Status of Refugees;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Articles 27 and 28 of the 1951 Convention, the Philippines undertakes to issue identity papers to any refugee in the Philippines who does not possess a valid travel document, and to issue travel document to refugees lawfully staying in the Philippines to enable them to travel outside Philippine territory, unless compelling reasons of national security or public sector otherwise require; and
WHEREAS, under Article 35 (1) of the 1951 Convention, the Philippines undertakes to cooperate with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or any other agency of the United Nations which may succeed it, in the exercise of its functions, and shall in particular facilitate its duty of supervising the application of the provisions of the said Convention;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, and in order to effect the needed assistance to refugees reaching the Philippines, do hereby order:
Sec. 1. For the purpose of implementing Article 27 of the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, the Task Force on Refugee Assistance and Administration (TFRAA) created under Executive Order No. 554 dated August 21, 1974 is hereby authorized and directed to issue identity papers to any refugee staying in the Philippines who does not possess a valid travel document. For this purpose, the TFRAA is hereby authorized to conduct such investigations as may be necessary and practicable to the end that only lawfully staying refugees are issued identity papers, and that the information stated in such documents are authentic.
Sec. 2. In effecting Article 28 of the above-mentioned Convention, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is hereby authorized to issue to refugees lawfully staying in the Philippines travel documents to enable them to travel outside Philippine territory, subject to the guidelines hereinbelow prescribed.
Sec. 3. No travel document/s shall be issued to a refugee without the favorable recommendation of the TFRAA, and such other documents as may be reasonably required by the DFA. Upon information obtained by the DFA, it may deny issuance of travel documents to any refugee when compelling reasons of national security or public order so require. In issuing travel documents, the DFA shall in particular give sympathetic consideration to refugees who are unable to obtain travel documents from the country of their lawful residence.
Sec. 4. The travel documents to be issued pursuant to this Order shall be similar to the specimen annexed to the 1951 Convention on Refugees. They shall also be subject to the provisions of the "Schedule" attached to the text of the 1951 Convention.
Sec. 5. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately. lawphi1.net
DONE in the City of Manila, this 31st day of August, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven.
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