Establishment and Activation of Duty Watch for the Holy Week

April 1, 1996

MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 355

ESTABLISHING AND ACTIVATING DUTY WATCH FOR THE DURATION OF THE HOLY WEEK

WHEREAS, the Holy Week is a national regular non-working holiday observed by majority of Filipinos;

WHEREAS, there is need to ensure continuous coordination of governmental activities during the Holy Week;

WHEREAS, it is necessary to establish an ad-hoc body to provide timely information to the President on evolving critical issues and developments, and set up a high level monitoring and reporting system covering all sectors and issues nationwide during the Holy Week.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby establish and activate a 24-hour operation of the Duty Watch during the period 021200H-071800H April 1996.

SECTION 1. Composition. — The Duty Watch will be under the overall Supervision and responsibility of the Executive Secretary assisted by two support units, as follows: Task Force Lily headed by the Senior Deputy Executive Secretary which will serve as Lead Coordinating Center (LCC) and Media Support Group headed by the Press Secretary. Counterpart Coordinating Centers (CCC) will be established in all Departments/Agencies and critical GOCCs. These counterpart Coordinating Centers will report to Task Force Lily.

SECTION 2. Responsibilities. — The Duty Watch will have the following responsibilities:

a. Provision of timely information to the President on evolving critical issues and developments during the period through the regular submission of Duty Watch Bulletins;

b. Provision of a feedback system among and between agencies and the Office of the President in carrying out the President's Directives and Instructions;

c. Provision of a channel of coordination and collaboration in the management of government affairs during the Holy Week;

d. Conduct of regular assessment of the situation and the operations of the Counterpart Coordinating Centers; and

e. Conduct of other activities that may be directed by the President.

SECTION 3. Operating Structure. — The Duty Watch will be activated for the period 021200H-071800H April 1996 and will involve the participation and cooperation of departments and agencies under the Executive Branch to be grouped under the following operating units:

a. Lead Coordinating Center (LCC) composed of the Task Force Lily;

b. Counterpart Coordinating Centers (CCCs) which shall be established in all Departments/Agencies and critical GOCCs i.e. NPC, MWSS, LWUA, and NEA; and

c. Media Support Group composed of the OPS (lead agency), PR group of government agencies including GOCCs and other outfits involved in media and communication.

SECTION 4. Lead Coordinating Center (LCC). — The LCC will operate on a 24-hour basis at the 4th Floor of the New Executive Building (NEB), Malacañang, Manila. The Senior Deputy Executive Secretary will supervise and coordinate the operations of the Task Force Lily.

The LCC will focus its monitoring and coordinating activities on security, peace, and order, and other critical issues and services (e.g. rice, oil situation, calamity, power situation, etc.). In line with this, LCC will submit reports to the President through the Executive Secretary at 8-hour intervals.

All Cabinet Members and Heads of Agencies will provide the Task Force Lily with the telephone number(s) where they can be accessed on a 24-hour basis, not later than 021200H April 1996.

SECTION 5. Counterpart Coordinating Centers (CCCs). — The CCCs in all Departments/Agencies and critical GOCCs will be established in their respective offices primarily to monitor and coordinate the activities and significant developments in their respective sectors. Said Centers will operate on a 24-hour basis under the supervision of duly designated action officers.

The member agencies will designate senior officials of their respective departments/agencies who will undertake 12-hour shifts at their respective CCCs. Said action officers should have direct access to their department/agency heads.

The CCC will submit monitoring reports on their respective sectors at 8-hour interval to the LCC.

SECTION 6. Media Support Group (MSG). — The MSG shall be composed of the OPS as lead agency, OPS-attached agencies, PR groups of government agencies including GOCCs, and other outfits involved in media and communication. It will monitor and assess tri-media reports, prepare press statements on actions taken on issues and concerns raised by the media based on inputs provided LCC and ensure the dissemination of press statements to tri-media networks. The MSG will be supervised by a senior official of the OPS. Its personnel and duty officers will undertake 12-hour shifts at the OPS, Kalayaan Hall, Malacañang Palace.

SECTION 7. Terminal Report. — The Senior Deputy Executive Secretary, through the Executive Secretary, will submit a terminal report to the President upon closure of Duty Watch operations which will include an overall assessment of the operation and the participation and support of all involved agencies.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. — This memorandum shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect until 071800H April 1996.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 1st day of April, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.