EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 346
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 346 - AMENDING
EXECUTIVE ORDERS NO. 728 AND 938, REDEFINING THE ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE, FUNCTIONAL THRUSTS AND PROVIDING FOR THE OPERATIONAL
GUIDELINES OF THE COMMISSION ON FILIPINOS OVERSEAS
WHEREAS, it is a declared policy of
the State to promote the well-being and uphold the interests of
Filipinos overseas;
WHEREAS, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas was created by virtue of
Batas Pambansa Blg. 79 on 16 June 1980 to render effectively this
policy of the State;
WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 728 provided for the organizational
structure and guidelines of the Secretariat of the Commission, while
Executive Order No. 938 authorized the establishment of its overseas
offices;
WHEREAS, the promulgation of economic diplomacy as a major development
strategy of the government under Administrative Order No. 91, is also
aimed at harnessing the fullest potentials of overseas Filipinos as
partners in the development efforts of the country;
WHEREAS, the Commission was directed to provide secretariat support to
the Assistance-to-Nationals Task Force pursuant to Administrative Order
No. 182;
WHEREAS, the Commission was designated to provide technical and
secretariat support to the reconstituted Exchange Visitors Program
Committee pursuant to Administrative Order No. 242;
WHEREAS, Sec. 20 of Republic Act No. 8042 provides for the
establishment of a shared government information system on migration to
allow data exchange among relevant agencies of government including the
Commission on Filipinos Overseas;
WHEREAS, the unprecedented and phenomenal growth in the number of
overseas Filipinos, present and future requirements of the country, and
efforts currently undertaken by government to address the attendant
issues and problems, call for a reconstitution as well as a
reformulation of the mandate and organizational structure of the
Commission on Filipinos Overseas.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution,
do hereby order:
Section 1. Composition of the Commission. — The
Commission shall be composed of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs as
Chairman, the Secretary of Trade and Industry as Vice Chairman, the
Secretary of Labor and Employment, the Secretary of Tourism, the
Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports, the Secretary of Justice
and the Press Secretary, all of whom are ex-officio members, and the
Executive Director of the Commission.
The Commission shall formulate general policies on matters affecting
overseas Filipinos and provide functional direction for its programs
and operations.
Sec. 2. Offices of the Secretariat. — Executive
responsibility shall be vested in the Secretariat which will carry out
the programs, projects and services to address the needs and interests
of overseas Filipinos as well as support the economic diplomacy efforts
of the government.
The Secretariat shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall be
assisted by a Deputy Executive Director, both of whom shall be
appointed by the President. The Executive Director shall have the rank
of a Department Undersecretary, while the Deputy Executive Director
shall have the rank of an Assistant Secretary. To achieve effectiveness
and efficiency in the delivery of services, the offices of the
Secretariat are hereby reorganized as follows:
a.
Projects Management Office — The External Services and Projects Office
of the Secretariat shall henceforth be reorganized into the Projects
Management Office. The Projects Management Office shall be
responsible for the promotion and implementation of programs and
projects for Filipinos overseas. It shall propose and develop
strategies and mechanisms to optimize program promotion and
implementation.
This office shall establish the
necessary programs to promote and support the economic diplomacy
efforts of the government among overseas communities.
b. Migrant
Integration and Education Office. — The Local Services Office shall
henceforth be reorganized into the Migrant Integration and Education
Office. The Migrant Integration and Education Office shall be
responsible for implementing the registration and pre-departure
programs and services as well as the public assistance and information
program of the Commission. It shall also provide welfare support
services to Filipinos emigrants and other categories of migrating
Filipinos.
This office shall establish
appropriate mechanisms to ensure the effective coordination of the
Assistance to Nationals Program. It shall perform staff coordinating
functions, and develop information programs to complement activities in
connection with assistance to CFO constituents both here and abroad.
c.
Administrative and Finance Office — The Administrative and Finance
Office shall be responsible for the efficient management of the
Commission’s human and financial resources and shall be responsible for
various administrative, personnel, budgetary, financial, logistical,
and accounting services of the Commission.
d. Management
Information System Office — A Management Information System Office
shall be established within the CFO Secretariat to develop, establish
and maintain a computerized data banking and information system on
Filipinos overseas in support to policy functions of CFO. It shall
formulate plans, programs and procedures for effective data base
management and networking, as well as in support of the implementation
of a Shared Government Information System for Migration, pursuant to
Sec. 20 of Republic Act 8042.
e. Planning,
Research and Policy Office — The Management and Planning Office shall
be reorganized into the Planning, Research and Policy Office. The
Planning, Research and Policy Office shall be responsible for providing
the Commission with effective and efficient planning, programming and
project development services. This office shall also initiate,
coordinate and implement the conduct of all relevant policy research
and development work.
Sec. 3. CFO Overseas and Extension Offices. — The
Commission on Filipinos Overseas shall establish representative offices
in countries/areas, other than those identified in Executive Order No.
938, deemed necessary in pursuance of the mandate of Batas Pambansa
Blg. 79, and in promoting the interests and well being of Filipino
migrants. As far as practicable, CFO overseas offices shall be housed
at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate having relevant geographical
jurisdiction. The CFO representatives abroad shall work under the
direct supervision of the relevant Philippine Ambassador or Chief of
Mission.
The CFO shall also establish extension offices in the Philippines in
areas identified as major exit points of departing Filipino emigrants.
These offices shall be housed at the extension offices of the
Department of Foreign Affairs.
Sec. 4. Filipino Education and Heritage. —
Pursuant to Sec. 3(e) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 79, the Commission on
Filipinos Overseas shall among others, develop and implement policies
and programmes geared to actively preserve and enhance ties with
younger generations of overseas Filipinos in order to keep them from
being alienated from their native country, and to provide them with the
knowledge and values that would contribute to shaping their Filipino
identity.
Sec. 5. Assistance to Nationals. — Pursuant to
relevant provisions of Administrative Order No. 182 and Memorandum
Order No. 357, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas shall review,
formulate and recommend on a continuing basis, policies and programs to
address the needs of overseas Filipinos, in support of the
Assistance-to-Nationals Program.
Sec. 6. Manpower Complement of the Secretariat. —
In view of the additional tasks provided for in this Order, the
manpower complement of the Secretariat of the Commission shall be
reviewed and accordingly adjusted. The Secretariat shall therefore work
with the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and
Management on the reclassification of positions resulting from the
reorganization promulgated by this Executive Order.
Sec. 7. Funding. — Funds necessary to immediately
carry out the provisions of this Executive Order shall be sourced by
the Department of Budget and Management from available sources, upon
request of the CFO Secretariat. Funding requirement in the succeeding
fiscal years shall be provided for in the regular budgetary
appropriations of the Commission.
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. — All Executive orders,
issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are
inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.
Sec. 9. Effectivity. — This Executive Order shall
take effect immediately upon its approval.
DONE in the City of Manila,
this 14th day of June in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and
Ninety-Six.
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Since 19.07.98.