EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 554
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 554 - CREATING
A TASK FORCE ON INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE AND ADMINISTRATION,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHEREAS,
in accordance with simple humanity the Filipino people and their
government are ready to render assistance in the processing of refugees
specially from Vietnam;
WHEREAS, as a responsible member of the United Nations, this country
has supported UN efforts to assist refugees provided such support is
consistent with international law and practice and the Philippines’
national laws and interests;
WHEREAS, the United High Commission for Refugees has sought the
cooperation of the Philippine government in the temporary lodging of
such refugees prior to their final resettlement in other countries and
the Philippines has agreed to set up such a processing center provided
that costs shall not be borne by the Philippines and there will be no
residual refugees left in such processing center;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND, E. MARCOS, 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:
Section 1. It is hereby declared that for the purpose
of complying with the Philippines’ duty to humanity and its commitment
to assist legitimate projects and programs of the United Nations, the
Philippines should create and activate a group that will respond to the
request of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
Sec. 2. To achieve the above, there is hereby
created a Task Force on Refugee Assistance and Administration under the
Ministry of Human Settlements.
a.
The Task Force shall be composed of the Minister of Human Settlements
as Chairman and the following as members:
(1)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
(2) Minister
of National Defense
(3) Minister
of Public Works
(4) Minister
of Public Highways
(5) Minister
of Local Government and Community Development
(6) Minister
of Natural Resources
(7) Minister
of Health
(8) Minister
of Agriculture
(9) Minister
of Education and Culture
(10) Minister
of Transportation and Communications
(11) Acting
Minister of Social Services and Development
b.
The Task Force shall be assisted by a Secretariat to be headed by the
Deputy Minister of Human Settlements with the Deputy Minister of Public
Works, Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy and the General
Manager of the National Housing Authority as members.
c. The
Minister-Members may designate their respective representatives to the
Task Force provided the designated representatives are empowered to
decide and/or act on their Ministers’ behalf.
d. The
specific functions, duties and powers of the Task Force are as follows:
(1)
To establish, build and administer such refugee processing centers and
camps as have been chosen by the President.
(2) To
coordinate and cooperate with the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees efforts and activities of the Philippine government relative
to assistance to refugees and operation and management of the refugee
centers and camps established in the Philippines.
(3) To
receive, administer and utilize funds, equipment and other forms of
assistance provided by the UNHCR, friendly countries and institutions
and other international refugee-assistance institutions in the
Philippines’ program for refugee assistance and management.
(4) To
integrate and supervise a working staff that will undertake the
Philippines’ program for refugee assistance and management; provided
that as much as possible, the participating agencies shall contribute
manpower, material and fiscal resources needed to support the working
staff.
(5) To call
upon any department, ministry, bureau, office or agency or
instrumentality of the government for such assistance as it may require
in the performance of its duties and functions.
(6) To submit
periodic reports to the Philippine government and to the United
Nations, through the President, on its activities; including the
disposition of funds and other assistance received from the United
Nations and other international refugee — assistance institutions.
Sec. 3. The Chairman of the Task Force shall —
(a)
preside over meetings of the Task Force;
(b) receive
gifts or donations in whatever form and from whatever source;
(c)
administer, obligate, and disburse appropriations, gifts, or donations
upon approval by the members of the Task Force; and
(d) hire and
maintain such working group, staff or personal as may be necessary to
carry out the purposes and objectives of the Task Force.
Sec. 4. The Chairman of the Task Force may
constitute continuing ad hoc committee consisting of the members of the
Task Force and such other experts as are necessary to assist the Task
Force in the discharge of its functions.
Sec. 5. As initial steps to immediately get the
Task Force operational:
(1)
Tara Island and Ulugan Bay in the province of Palawan are hereby
designated as refugee processing centers and camps.
(2) The
General Manager of the National Housing Authority, an attached agency
of the Ministry of Human Settlements, is hereby designated project
coordinator for the immediate establishment, construction and operation
of the said refugee camps.
(3) The Flag
Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy is hereby directed to assist
the Task Force by providing ferry service for materials, men and
equipment needed to construct and operate the refugee camps.
(4) The Deputy
Minister of Public Works is hereby designated in charge of the
construction of the refugee camps in Palawan.
Sec. 6. This Executive Order shall take effect
immediately.
DONE in the City of Manila,
this 21st day of August in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
seventy-nine.
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