Memorandum Order No. 122




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ Memorandum Order No. 122, November 17, 2000 ] INSTITUTIONALIZING THE CABINET TASK FORCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION PROGRAM AS A REGULAR CABINET CLUSTER WHEREAS, under the Constitution, it is an avowed state policy that a public office is a public trust; WHEREAS, there is a need to synchronize and rationalize various anti-corruption measures of the government; WHEREAS, it is necessary to effectively sustain the campaign of the government against corruption to ensure that scarce resources are used efficiently to serve the people well; WHEREAS, it is necessary to rely more on preventive measures rather than punitive ones to ensure the success of the campaign of the government against corruption; and WHEREAS, the present Administration has considered the elimination of graft and corruption as one its major policy thrusts; NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH E. ESTRADA, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order: Section 1. CABINET CLUSTER “I”. The Cabinet Task Force on Anti-Corruption (CTFAC) is hereby institutionalized as a regular cabinet cluster hereinafter referred to as Cabinet Cluster “I” and shall be added to the Cabinet Cluster System provided for under Memorandum Order No. 142 s. 1993, as amended. It shall mainly oversee the anti-corruption program of the government. In so doing, it shall take into account the findings of the World Banks study entitled “Combating Corruption in the Philippines“. Section 2. Composition. Cabinet Cluster I shall be composed of the following members: The National Security Adviser/Director-General, National Security Council - Chairman The Secretary, Department of Justice - member The Secretary, Department of Budget and Management - member The Director-General, National Economic and Development Authority - member The Head, Presidential Management Staff - member The members shall designate their permanent alternates, who must hold the rank of either Undersecretary or Assistant Secretary. The members shall likewise assign, within their agencies, an action staff that shall undertake policy research, monitoring, evaluation and any other relevant staff work to help curb corruption. Section 3. Chairmanship. The chairmanship of the cabinet cluster shall be rotated yearly among the members. The members shall choose among themselves the successor of the incumbent chairman upon prior consent of the President. Section 4. Secretariat. The Presidential Management Staff (PMS) shall serve as the permanent secretariat of the Cabinet Cluster I. Section 5. Functions. Cabinet Cluster I, like any other cabinet cluster, shall serve as an advisory committee of the President and the Cabinet. As such, it shall deal with policy and operational matters involving the campaign of the government against corruption. More specifically, it shall oversee the anti-corruption program of the government. It may conduct periodic visitation of agencies for the purpose of reviewing their respective anti-corruption programs and coordinating the implementation thereof. Section 6. Meetings. The meetings of Cabinet Cluster I shall be held monthly or when necessary.1aшphi1 Other Cabinet Secretaries and heads of agencies may be invited to these meetings on matters involving their respective departments/agencies. For purposes of coordination with other cabinet clusters, the agenda of the meetings of Cabinet Cluster I shall be made known to all Cabinet Secretaries and other cabinet cluster secretariats. Notices shall be sent thereto in advance. Section 7. Inter-governmental support. When necessary in the exercise of its functions, Cabinet Cluster I can call upon any government office within the executive branch of government for assistance. Every government office called upon shall fully cooperate with it. When necessary, Cabinet Cluster I may invite representatives from the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit (COA), and Inter-Agency Anti-Graft and Corruption Coordinating Committee (IAAGCC). It may likewise invite resource persons from the civil society or the private sector. Section 8. Repealing clause. This memorandum order supersedes Presidential Memorandum dated 06 November 2000 creating the CTFACP. Section 9. Effectivity. This Memorandum Order shall take effect immediately. DONE in the City of Manila, this 17th of November, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand. (Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA By the President: RONALDO B. ZAMORA Executive Secretary The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation