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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 38, August 13, 2019 ]

REACTIVATING AND RECONSTITUTING THE EL NINO TASK FORCE CREATED PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 16 (S. 2001), AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 16 created a Presidential Task Force to enhance agency coordination in the formulation and implementation of measures that will mitigate the effects of the El Nirto and La Nina phenomena;

WHEREAS, EO No. 16 also ordered the formulation and regular monitoring of the implementation of a Comprehensive Disaster Preparedness and Rehabilitation Plan for the El Nino phenomenon to help the public cope therewith and minimize its disastrous effects;

WHEREAS, the El Niño Task Force reconvened in 2015, and crafted the Roadmap for Addressing the Impacts of El Niño (RAIN) to mitigate the effects of the El Niño phenomenon on four areas: (a) food security; (b) energy security; (c) health, and (d) safety;

WHEREAS, recent monitoring and analyses of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) — Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) indicate that the warm sea surface temperature which started in November of last year in the Central and Eastern Equatorial Pacific has fully developed into the El Niño phenomenon;

WHEREAS, current climate models of the DOST-PAGASA suggest that there is a seventy-five per cent (75%) probability that the El Niño phenomenon will persist from June until August 2019; and

WHEREAS, the recurrence of the El Niño phenomenon calls for the implementation of both short and long-term solutions to ensure food, water and energy security, safeguard livelihoods, and improve the country's disaster and climate resilience;

NOW, THEREFORE, the following are hereby ordered:

Section 1. Reactivation and Reconstitution of the El Nino Task Force. The Presidential Task Force (Task Force) to mitigate the effects of the El Niño phenomenon created pursuant to EO No. 16 is hereby reactivated and its membership reconstituted as follows:

Over-all Head :	Director-General and Socioeconomic Planning
	Secretary, National Economic and Development Authority
Head for Food Security:	Secretary, Department of Agriculture
Head for Water Security:	Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Head for Energy Security:	Secretary, Department of Energy
Head for Health:	Secretary, Department of Health
Head for Safety:	Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government
Members:	Secretary, DOST
	Secretary, Department of National Defense and
	Chairperson of the National Disaster Risk
	Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
	Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development
	Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment
	Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry
	Secretary, Presidential Communications Operation Office
	Director-General, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
	Administrator, Office of Civil Defense and Executive Director, NDRRMC
	Administrator, National Food Authority
	Administrator, National Irrigation Authority
	Administrator, PAGASA

Section 2. Updating of the RAIN. The Task Force shall revise and update the RAIN, and monitor the implementation of short and long-term solutions and programs identified therein, especially on the five (5) critical areas, namely: (i) food security; (ii) water security; (iii) energy security; (iv) health; and (v) safety.

Section 3. Agency Support. The Task Force may call upon the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism and all other government entities to extend support as may be necessary to implement the foregoing directives.

Section 4. Reporting Requirement. The Task Force shall submit to the President through the Executive Secretary a monthly report on the implementation of this Order.£A⩊phi£

Section 5. Funding. The funding requirements for the implementation of this Order shall be charged against the existing appropriations of the member agencies of the Task Force.

Section 6. Repeal. All other orders, issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 7. Separability. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

Section 8. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 13th day of August in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand Nineteen.

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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