World Forum to Combat International Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, Terrorism and Organized Crime

June 20, 1997

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 344

CREATING THE NATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE WORLD FORUM TO COMBAT INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKING, MONEY LAUNDERING, TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME

WHEREAS, a Resolution was adopted at the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum on 10 January 1997 in Vancouver, Canada encouraging heads of state and government to convene a World Forum to combat international drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism and organized crime;

WHEREAS, the Philippines, heeding the call for a concerted global effort to combat these worldwide menaces, recently offered to host the World Forum in Manila;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Senate passed Resolution No. 795 expressing support for the Philippines' offer to host the Forum;

WHEREAS, there is a need to constitute a national committee to organize and supervise all activities related to the hosting of the Forum;

NOW THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the following:

SECTION 1. National Organizing Committee. — There is hereby constituted a National Organizing Committee, hereinafter referred to as the "NOC" to be composed of the following:

 

Secretary of the Interior and
	Local Government	—	Chairperson
Secretary of Justice	—	Co-Chairperson
Secretary of Foreign Affairs	—	Vice-Chairperson
Secretary of Budget and
	Management	—	Member
Secretary of Education, Culture
	and Sports	—	Member
Secretary of Finance	—	Member
Secretary of Health	—	Member
Secretary of National Defense	—	Member
Secretary of Tourism	—	Member
Secretary of Transportation and
	Communication	—	Member
Press Secretary	—	Member
Director-General, National
	Security Council	—	Member
Head, Presidential Management
	Staff	—	Member
Director-General, National
	Intelligence Coordinating
	Agency	—	Member
Chairman, Commission on
	Higher Education	—	Member
Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of
	the Philippines	—	Member
Director-General, Philippine
	National Police	—	Member

 

 

The Chairperson shall also invite representative from Congress, the Judiciary, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the private sector to be members of the NOC.

SECTION 2. Functions of the National Organizing Committee. — In pursuit of its objectives and subject to existing laws, the NOC shall have the following functions:

a. Recommend to the President the nature and level (heads of state, ministerial, sub-ministerial, experts, etc.) of the proposed World Forum; cdt

b. Formulate and recommend to the President the objectives and the areas of coverage, and the corresponding workplan, timetable, and estimated budget for the hosting of the Forum;

c. Formulate and implement an advocacy program to generate international support for the Forum;

d. Implement the workplan once approved by the President and supervise and monitor all activities in relation thereto;

e. Call upon any department, agency, office or instrumentality of the national or local government for any assistance that may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Administrative Order; and

f. Negotiate and conclude agreements and contracts necessary for the attainment of the objectives of this Administrative Order, including contracts for services.

SECTION 3. Secretariat/Project Management Group. — There is hereby established a Secretariat/Project Management Group to assist the NOC in the pursuit of its objectives. The Secretariat/Project Management Group shall be headed by an Executive Director to be designated by the Chairperson and shall be composed of representatives of the following departments/agencies to be detailed full-time to the Secretariat/Project Management Group:

Department of the Interior and Local Government;

Department of Justice;

Department of Foreign Affairs;

Department of National Defense;

National Security Council;

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency;

Armed Forces of the Philippines;

Philippine National Police; and

Office of the Press Secretary.

The Chairperson of the NOC may also invite private individuals and organizations as members of the Secretariat/Project Management Group.

The Secretariat/Project Management Group may constitute sub-groups as it may deem appropriate.

SECTION 4. Office. — The NOC and Secretariat/Project Management Group shall hold office at the Department of the Interior and Local Government in an appropriate office to be provided by the Department.

SECTION 5. Funding. — Funding for the NOC and the World Forum shall be charged to the President's Contingent Fund and other funding sources to be identified by the DBM.

SECTION 6. Reporting Mechanisms. — The NOC shall submit monthly progress reports to the President.

SECTION 7. Administrative Guidelines/Order. — The NOC shall adopt such administrative guidelines or orders as may be necessary to achieve the objectives of this Administrative Order.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. — This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 20th day of June, in the year of the Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven.