Memorandum Order No. 312




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ Memorandum Order No. 312, October 10, 1995 ] RE-ESTABLSIHING AND RE-ACTIVATING THE OFFIC OF THE PRESIDENT COORDINATING CENTER (OPCC) FOR THE STATE VISIT TO THE AMERICAS WHEREAS, the OPCC was established as an ad-hoc body in the Office of the President to provide timely information to the President on evolving critical issues and developments during the period of the President’s conduct of foreign visits; WHEREAS, the OPCC was initially activated on a 24-hour operation during the state visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26-30 January 1993, and was last reactivated during the President’s Visit to Australia and New Zealand on 15 to 23 August 1995; WHEREAS, there is need to establish a high level monitoring and reporting system that will cover all sectors and issues nationwide during the state visit of the President to the Americas; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby re-establish and re-activate the operation of the Office of the President Coordinating Center during the state visit tot the Americas (16 to 29 October 1995) to be located at the 4th Floor, New Executive Building, Malacanang, Manila. Section 1. COMPOSITION. The OPCC will be under the overall supervision and responsibility of the Executive Secretary of Interior and Local Government will serve as OPCC Vice-Chairmen. There will be an Executive Committee composed of the following: National Security Adviser, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary, Head, Presidential Management Staff, and the Press Secretary. The OPCC Chairman shall coordinate with the Vice-President, Senate President, and the Speaker of the House whenever necessary. Section 2. FUNCTIONS. The functions of the OPCC shall primarily include: a. provide timely information to the President on evolving critical issues and developments during the period through the regular submission of OPCC Bulletins; b. Provide a feedback system among and between agencies and the OP in carrying out the President’s Directives while in the USA; c. Provide a channel of coordination and collaboration in the management of government affairs during the President’s absenbce; d. Conduct regular meetings to assess the situation and the operations of the Center; and e. Undertake other activities that may be directed by the President. Section 3. OPERATING STRUCTURE. The OPCC will involve the participation and cooperation of departments and agencies under the Executive Branch to be grouped into two operating units: a.Expanded Task Force Lily – composed of the DA/NFA/NIA, DILG/PNP, DFA, DND, DOJ/NBI, DOE/NPC/NEA, DOTC, DPWH/MWSS, DOLE/OWWA, DTI, MMDA, OPS, OP (Legal, PACE, OES), NICA, Mount Pinatubo Commission, and Pas for Political Affairs, Police Affairs, Military Affairs, and Legislative Liaison. b.Counterpart Coordinating Center in all Departments and Agencies. The OPCC may call upon any government agency or instrumentality to participate and cooperate in the monitoring activities as may be necessary. For this purpose, all Cabinet Members and Heads of Agencies will provide the OPCC Secretariat with the telephone number(s) where they can be accessed on a 24-hour basis. Section 4. EXPANDED TASK FORCE LILY. The Expanded Task Force Lily will continue to operate on a 24-hour basis at the 4th Floor of the New Executive Building (NEB), Malacanang, Manila. The member agencies shall designate senior officials of their respective departments/agencies who will undertake 12-hour shifts at NEB. Said senior officials should have ranks of at least Undersecretary or Asst. Secretary (for departments) or should be the head of agency, deputy head of agency, or senior manager/director (for other agencies). The Expanded Task Force Lily shall focus their monitoring and coordinating activities on security, peace and order, and other critical issues and services (e.g. rice, oil situation, calamity, power situation, etc.). In line with this, they shall submit reports to the OPCC, through its Secretariat, at 4-hour intervals. Departments/agencies under the Expanded Task Force Lily shall share computer and communication equipment for their NEB operations for the duration of the President’s visit to the Americas. Section 5. COUNTERPART COORDINATING CENTERS. The Counterpart Coordinating Centers in all Departments and Agencies will be established in their respective Offices primarily to monitor and coordinate their respective sectors. Said Centers will operate on a 24-hour basis under the supervision of duly-designated action officers with ranks of at least Undersecretary or Asst. Secretary (for departments) or should be head of agency, deputy head of agency, or senior manager/director (for other agencies). Said action officers should have access to their department/agency heads on a 24-hour basis. Counterpart Coordinating Centers will submit monitoring reports on their respective sectors at 6-hour intervals.1aшphi1 Section 6. OPCC SUPERVISION. The operation of the OPCC will be supervised on a 24-hour rotation basis by the OPCC Chairman, OPCC Vice-Chairmen, or a member of the Executive Committee. Technical and secretariat support shall be provided by PMS on a 24-hour basis. OPCC reports to the President will be signed by the OPCC Chairman or the OPCC Duty Officer (Vice Chairmen or Executive Committee member). Section 7. FUNDING SUPPORT. Funding support for the OPCC will be sourced from the Office of the President. Said Funds will be released to and administered by the OPCC Secretariat. Section 8. TERMINAL REPORT. The OPCC Chairman will submit a terminal report to the President upon closure of OPCC operations which shall include an assessment of the situation and the participation and support of all agencies. Section 9. EFFECTIVITY. This memorandum shall take effect at 0600H on 16 October 1995 and shall remain in effect until 1800H on 29 October 1995. Done in the City of Manila, this 10th day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety five. (Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS By the President: (Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES Executive Secretary The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation