Executive Order No. 158




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 158, December 27, 2021 ] STRENGTHENING THE POLICY FRAMEWORK ON PEACE, RECONCILIATION AND UNITY, AND REORGANIZING THE GOVERNMENT’S ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE FOR THE PURPOSE WHEREAS, the attainment of a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace, under the rule of law and in accordance with constitutional processes, is one of the primordial goals of the State in order to build a just, humane and progressive society; WHEREAS, a just, comprehensive and enduring peace requires not merely the end of internal armed conflicts, but more importantly, the resolution of the root causes of armed conflicts and social unrest, and the transformation of Philippine society to one characterized by justice, equity, tolerance, harmonious pluralism, and full respect for human rights; WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 125 (s. 1993) and EO No. 03 (s. 2001) provide for systematic approach to peace, the key principles of the Comprehensive Peace Process, and the establishment of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process; WHEREAS, to more effectively build on the achievements of the National Government on peacebuilding engagements over the last decade, there is a need to continually reassess and realign how policies and programs on peace processes are designed, implemented and monitored, and expand the framework on peace to include initiatives that reinforce national reunification and reconciliation, as part of enhancing resiliency, and social, political and economic reengineering; WHEREAS, Section 85 of the General Provisions of Republic Act No. 11518 or the “Fiscal Year 2021 General Appropriations Act,” authorizes the President to create new offices and modify the existing organizational structure of the agencies in the Executive Branch, as well as create new positions or modify existing ones whenever public interest so requires; and WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control of all the executive departments, bureaus, and offices, and the mandate to ensure the faithful execution of laws; NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order: Section 1. Policy Framework on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity. The framework for the implementation, coordination, integration, monitoring and evaluation of all government initiatives on the peace process, reconciliation and unity shall be guided by the following: a. PRINCIPLES. The Comprehensive Peace Process shall be: i. Conflict-sensitive and peace-promoting. It shall address the drivers and root causes of conflict. Peacebuilding interventions, programs and activities shall consolidate peaceful relations and strengthen viable political, socio-economic and cultural institutions to be capable of handling conflict, and enhance the capacity of other mechanisms to create or support the necessary conditions for sustained peace; ii. Whole-of-Society. There shall be continuing consultations, engagements and dialogues on both national and local levels to build consensus for a whole-of-society peace agenda; and iii. Empowering. The government shall mobilize and facilitate the people’s meaningful participation, especially the vulnerable groups, towards social healing and reconciliation; b. OBJECTIVES. The goals and strategies of the Comprehensive Peace Process shall be anchored on: i. Embedding Peace, Reconciliation and Unity in the Social Fabric. There shall be direct and meaningful engagements with the rebel groups and the affected communities at the grass-roots level in order to reach a peaceful settlement, and achieve a more permanent resolution to conflict. Peacebuilding initiatives shall: (1) address the legal status and security of former rebels; (2) ensure the protection of non-combatants and reduce the impact of the armed conflict in affected communities; (3) provide for community-based assistance services that cater to the economic, social and psychological rehabilitation needs of former rebels, demobilized combatants, and civilian victims of the internal armed conflicts, especially women and children; ii. Enhancing Resilience for Peace. Peace agreements shall be strictly implemented, and the enabling environment necessary to realize their goals shall be actively pursued. Peace advocacy and peace education programs, and the implementation of various confidence-building, healing and reconciliation measures to improve relationships of trust within divided and broken communities, and between citizens and their government institutions, will be at the core of peacebuilding strategies; and iii. Social, Economic and Political Reengineering. There shall be government initiatives and mobilization of different sectors of society in addressing the root causes of internal armed conflicts and social unrest through the passage and implementation of key social, economic and political reforms requiring administrative action, new legislation or constitutional amendments. The principles, goals and strategies of the comprehensive peace process, including programs and activities, shall be reviewed every three (3) years to ensure their effectiveness, relevance and responsiveness. The review shall include a fundamental re-examination of how peace processes are designed, implemented, funded and monitored, and an evaluation of whether security, development and peacebuilding efforts in conflict-affected and -vulnerable areas truly contribute to inclusive and sustainable peace. Section 2. Administrative Structure. The administrative structure to operationalize the policy framework on peace, reconciliation and unity shall be as follows: a. THE PRESIDENT. The President shall provide over-all policy direction in the conduct of the comprehensive peace process. b. THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON PEACE, RECONCILIATION AND UNITY. The Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (PAPRU) shall be appointed by the President and shall have the rank and remuneration of a Cabinet Member. The PAPRU shall perform the following functions and responsibilities: i. Manage, direct, integrate and supervise, in behalf of the President, all aspects of the comprehensive peace process, including initiatives that promote and reinforce national reconciliation and unity; ii. Formulate and recommend to the President policies, strategies, programs and actions to implement the comprehensive peace process, as well as measures that contribute to existing reconciliation and reunification efforts. To this end, convergence and complementation in the implementation of peace and development interventions shall be strengthened; iii. Oversee the status of programs and projects undertaken by government agencies and instrumentalities as part of the implementation of the comprehensive peace process, such as, but not limited to, to the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program; iv. Conduct regular dialogues with peace partners to seek relevant information, feedback and recommendations, as well as to render appropriate and timely reports on the progress of the comprehensive peace process to the President; v. Recommend, as may be necessary, legislative and constitutional reforms towards the attainment of lasting peace, unity and reconciliation; and vi. Perform such other functions as may be directed by the President. c. GOVERNMENT PEACE PANELS (GPPs). There may be established Government Peace Negotiating Panels (GPNPs), each composed of the Chairperson and such number of necessary members, who shall be appointed by the President as his/her official emissaries to conduct direct negotiations, dialogues and discussions with the rebel groups.£A⩊phi£ GPNPs shall report to the President, through the PAPRU, on the conduct and progress of their negotiations. Each GPNP shall be provided technical support by a Panel Secretariat, which shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Panel Commission. Upon the signing of a final peace agreement with a rebel group, the concerned GPNP shall be dissolved and a counterpart Government Peace Implementing Panel (GPIP) may be created, whose members shall be appointed by the President, to engage the relevant rebel group for the implementation phase of the peace agreement. Each GPIP shall be suspended by a Panel Secretariat, which shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Panel Chairperson. d. ADVISORY BOARD. There shall be a Panel of Advisers for each of the GPPs, composed of representatives from the Senate, House of Representatives, members of the Cabinet, and representatives of civil society and other advisers as may be designated by the President, upon the recommendation of the PAPRU. e. THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON PEACE, RECONCILIATION AND UNITY. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) is hereby reorganized and renamed as the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU). It shall provide technical and administrative support to the PAPRU in the discharge of his/her functions. Administrative support services for the GPPs shall be provided by the OPAPRU. As may be necessary, the PAPRU shall submit to the Department of Budget and Management, for review and approval, a revised organizational structure and staffing pattern of the OPAPRU pursuant to this Order. Section 3. Implementing Guidelines. As may be deemed necessary, the OPAPRU shall promulgate such implementing guidelines for the effective implementation of this Order. Section 4. Funding. The funds necessary to implement this Order shall be sourced from the current appropriations of the OPAPP. Funding requirements for subsequent years shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act, subject to the usual budget process. Section 5. Separability. In the event that any provision or part of this Order is declared invalid, illegal or unconstitutional, the provisions not thereby affected shall remain in full force and effect. Section 6. Repeal. EO No. 19 (s. 1992), EO No. 125 (s. 1993) and EO No. 03 (s. 2001) are hereby repealed. All other orders, rules and regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. Section 7. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately. Done in the City of Manila, this 27th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-One. (SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE By Authority of the President: (SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA Executive Secretary The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation