EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 850
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 850 -
REORGANIZING THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
WHEREAS,
under the New Republic, national development shall be pursued with
renewed dedication and greater determination through a more efficient,
effective, and economical government;
WHEREAS, it is desirable to strengthen the administrative capability of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enable it to be a more effective
instrumentality of the Government in the promotion of the foreign
relations of the Philippines;
WHEREAS, to attain this objective, it would be desirable to restructure
the Ministry by providing for the realignment of its primary
responsibilities basically along geographical coverage rather than
along functional areas,
WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 523 mandated the restructuring of the
Ministry and the Foreign Service to enable it to pursue goals in
keeping with the realities of world diplomacy as characterized by
regional and bilateral relations; and
WHEREAS, under Presidential Decree No. 1416 as amended, the President
is empowered to undertake such organizational and related improvements
as may be appropriate in the light of changing circumstances and new
developments;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines,
by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the
authority vested in me by Presidential Decree No. 1416 as amended, do
hereby order and ordain:
Section 1. Pursuant to the provisions of the
Constitution, the President shall formulate the national guidelines and
overall policies on foreign affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
hereinafter referred to as the Ministry, shall be the ministry
primarily responsible for the planning, implementation and coordination
of the appropriate supportive policies and programs in the field of
foreign affairs, in accordance with the general policies formulated by
the President. The primary function of the Ministry shall be the
promotion and conduct of the country’s foreign relations, and the
provision of such services to Filipino nationals abroad as may be
necessary.
The President shall exercise control over the Ministry and the Prime
Minister shall supervise the Ministry. The Prime Minister and the
Cabinet shall be responsible to the Batasang Pambansa for the general
program of government.
Sec. 2. The authority and responsibility for the
exercise of the powers and the discharge of the functions of the
Ministry shall be vested in the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
hereinafter referred to as the Minister, who shall be appointed by the
President. He shall be assisted by such Deputy Ministers as may be
appointed by the President. The Minister is authorized to determine and
assign the respective functional areas of responsibility of the Deputy
Ministers, should there be more than one; provided, that such
delineation of responsibilities shall cover the substantive functions
and operations of the Ministry; and provided, further, that there shall
be no Deputy Minister for Administration, and that the assignment of
administrative responsibilities to any Deputy Minister shall be in
addition to his substantive responsibilities.
Sec. 3. There is hereby created an Office of
Inspection, Intelligence and Legal Services which shall absorb the
applicable functions, appropriations, records, equipment, property, and
personnel of the Office of Legal Affairs, the Inspection Division and
the Intelligence and Research Division, which are hereinafter
abolished. The Office shall be responsible for enforcing high standards
of performance in all foreign service posts through a system of
periodic inspection. It shall also be responsible for the strict
enforcement of security measures in the Ministry and the Foreign
Service. It shall likewise be responsible for providing legal services
in the negotiation of treaties as well as in their
interpretations.
The Head of the Office of Inspection, Intelligence and Legal Services
shall serve as Inspector General.
Sec. 4. There is hereby created an Office of
Personnel and Management Services which shall be responsible for the
efficient management of services for the personnel of the Ministry and
the Foreign Service.
Sec. 5. The Office of Press and Public Affairs is
hereby renamed the Office of Public Affairs. It shall be responsible
for the handling of Ministry relations with the local and foreign media
and educational institutions as well as in the regular dissemination of
relevant information to all Foreign Services posts.
Sec. 6. The Office of Fiscal Affairs is hereby
renamed the Office of Fiscal Services. It shall be responsible for all
budget, financial and accounting services of the Ministry and the
Foreign Service.
Sec. 7. The Office of Consular Affairs is hereby
renamed the Office of Consular Services which shall be responsible for
the effective and efficient discharge of passport, visa and
notarization services as well as the provision of requisite assistance
to Filipino citizens abroad.
Sec. 8. The Office of Protocol is retained. It
shall be responsible for the handling of all activities of the Ministry
concerning protocol, ceremonies and socials. It shall also be
responsible for the proper observance and enforcement of all
formalities, courtesies and facilities required by the Vienna
conventions on Diplomatic Relations and Consular Relations as well as
other related conventions and agreements.
Sec. 9. There are hereby created the following
Offices:
(1)
Office of American Affairs
(2) Office of
Asian and Pacific Affairs
(3) Office of
European Affairs
(4) Office of
Middle East and African Affairs
(5) Office of
ASEAN Affairs.
Each of the Offices shall be responsible for providing staff support
and policy guidance to the Office of the Minister in the supervision
of, as well as for monitoring and reporting of, the activities and
operations of Philippine diplomatic missions and posts within its
geographical coverage. Such responsibility shall be in the context,
among others, of providing a more aggregative perspective of policy
issues, including its economic, political and cultural aspects,
involving each particular geographic group or region. It shall also
monitor the activities of, and provide the necessary staff support in
handling relationships with, foreign diplomatic missions accredited to
the Philippine government from the region concerned. The Minister shall
determine the specific diplomatic missions under each of the Offices.
The Office of ASEAN affairs shall be responsible for providing staff
support and policy guidance to the office of the Minister in the
supervision of, as well as for monitoring and reporting of, the
activities and operations of the Philippine Government in ASEAN. It
shall also serve as the secretariat of, and the coordinating agency
for, Philippine participation in ASEAN meetings and conferences.
The provision of staff support and policy guidance, as well as the
monitoring and reporting responsibilities defined above, of a
sub-regional nature may be undertaken through such sub-regional desks
within each Office as may be created from time to time by the Minister.
Sec. 10. The Office of United Nations and
International Organizations is retained. It shall be responsible for
providing staff support and policy guidance to the Office of the
Minister in the supervision of, as well as for monitoring and reporting
of, the activities and operations of the Philippine Government in the
United Nations, its specialized agencies and other inter-governmental
organizations except ASEAN, as well as for Philippine participation in
conferences therein. It shall also serve as the secretariat of all
Philippine National Commissions and Councils created pursuant to
commitments in the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
Sec. 11. There is hereby created a Board of
Foreign Service Administration to be composed of the Minister as
chairman, and the Deputy Minister or Ministers, the heads of Offices,
and a senior official of the Civil Service Commission as designated by
the Chairman of the Commission, as members. The Minister, at his
discretion, may assign the chairmanship of the Board to the Deputy
Minister, or where there is more than one Deputy Minister, to any of
the Deputy Ministers. The Board shall be responsible for considering
and recommending policies for the efficient and economical discharge of
the administrative operations of the Ministry and the Foreign Service.
It shall also consider and submit recommendations on policy and other
important matters concerning personnel including the appointment,
assignment, and promotion of all Foreign Service Staff Employees,
Foreign Service Staff Officers as well as to recommend, through the
Minister, to the President the appointment and promotion of Foreign
Service Officers, Counselors and Chiefs of Missions. It shall likewise
act and submit recommendations on administrative cases involving
personnel of the Ministry and the Foreign Service.
Sec. 12. The Board of Foreign Service Examiners is
retained. It shall be responsible for planning and administering the
Career Foreign Service Examinations. It shall have the Chairman of the
Civil Service Commission or a Commissioner thereof designated by the
Chairman of the Commission as chairman, and the Deputy Minister, or
where there is more than one Deputy Minister a Deputy Minister
designated by the Minister, the Head of the Office of Personnel and
Management Services, and a senior official of the Ministry of Trade and
Industry as designated by the Minister of Trade and Industry, as
members.
Sec. 13. The Minister may designate as Special
Advisers such as Chiefs of Missions on home assignment in specific
areas of their expertise as may be required by the exigencies of the
service. The Minister may also create such advisory boards and
committees as he may deem necessary to assist and provide him with
advice in the formulation of substantive policies.
Sec. 14. The Ministry shall exercise supervision
and control over the following offices:
(1)
Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs
(2) Office of
Middle East and African Affairs
(3) Office of
American Affairs
(4) Office of
European Affairs
(5) Office of
ASEAN affairs
(6) Office of
United Nations and International Organizations
(7) Office of
Protocol
(8) Office of
Inspection, Intelligence and Legal Services
(9) Office of
Personnel and Management Services
(10) Office of
Public Affairs
(11) Office of
Fiscal Services
(12) Office of
Consular Services
(13) Board of
Foreign Service Administration
Sec. 15. The Ministry shall exercise
administrative supervision over the following entities:
(1)
Foreign Service Institute
(2) UNESCO
National Commission of the Philippines
(3) Committee
on State Visits
(4) Technical
Assistance Council
(5) Board of
Foreign Service Examiners
Sec. 16. The following entities are hereby
abolished, and their functions, together with applicable
appropriations, records, equipment, property, and personnel are hereby
transferred to such appropriate units of the Ministry as may be deemed
suitable by the Minister:
(1)
Office of Administration
(2) Office of
Legal Affairs
(3) Office of
Policy Planning
(4) Office of
Cultural Affairs
(5) Office of
Economic Affairs
(6) Office of
Islamic Affairs
(7) Office of
Political Affairs
(8) ASEAN
National Coordinating Agency of the Philippines
(9) Board of
Foreign Service
(10) Promotion
Board created under Section 11 of Executive Order No. 523
(11)
Inspection Division
(12)
Intelligence and Research Division
Sec. 17. The Ministry shall have such diplomatic
missions and establishments abroad as may be necessary, under the
supervision and control of the Office of the Minister.
Sec. 18. The Ministry is hereby authorized to
issue such implementing rules and regulations as may be necessary to
implement the provisions of this Executive Order, provided that
approval of the Office of Budget and Management is obtained relative to
the new staffing pattern including appropriate salary rates, the
organizational structure at divisional and lower levels, and the
realignment of existing appropriations.
Sec. 19. Except as may otherwise be determined by
the Minister, all present incumbents of positions in the abolished
units shall continue to exercise their usual functions, duties, and
responsibilities, pending the issuance of the appropriate implementing
orders.
Sec. 20. All laws, decrees, orders, proclamations,
rules, regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with any
of the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.
Sec. 21. Any portion or provision of this
Executive Order that may be declared unconstitutional shall not have
the effect of nullifying the other provisions thereof, provided that
such remaining portions can still stand and be given effect in their
entirety to accomplish the objectives of this Executive Order.
Sec. 22. This Executive order shall take effect
thirty days from the date of signing hereof.
Done in the City of Manila,
this 1st day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
eighty-two.