WHEREAS, the Communist rebels have spent years as a low-level threat;

WHEREAS, it is time for their disruption and violation of human rights to be put to rest so that the nation can move ahead;

WHEREAS, the Communist rebels impede the progress and development of a number of rural areas, for example, the tri-boundary of Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Surigao del Sur, and are responsible for a wide range of human rights abuses;

WHEREAS, if the Philippines is to become a first world country, it must put a stop to their ideological nonsense and their criminal acts once and for all;

WHEREAS, the creation of an office in the regions has been recommended to focus on convergence and the orchestration of internal security operations (ISO) efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police;

WHEREAS, the imposition of sanctions has been recommended against local chief executives who are giving material and political support to the Communist rebels;

WHEREAS, the provision of livelihood and infrastructure development programs and projects in the remote rural and indigenous population areas has been adopted as a policy to isolate them from the Communist rebels' "Agitate/Arouse, Organize and Mobilize" and ideological, political and organization works;

NOW, THEREFORE I, GLORIA ML ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the laws, do hereby order and direct the following:

Sec. 1. Reorganization of the Peace and Order Council. - The Peace and Order Council is hereby reorganized on the national, regional, provincial, city and municipal levels of government to be constituted as follows:

(a)

The National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) shall have the same composition as the National Security Council (NSC) except for the chairmanship. The Chair of the NSC shall be the President of the Philippines, while the Chair of the NPOC shall be the Secretary of Interior and Local Government (SILG). The members of both Councils shall be composed of the following:

(b)	The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) shall be composed of the region's Provincial Governors, the Mayors of the Highly Urbanized Cities, the Presidents of the Leagues of Municipalities, the regional counterparts of the departments, offices and agencies enumerated in paragraph (a) above, wherever applicable, with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to be appointed by the SILG with the approval of the President of the Philippines from among the members of the Council. In addition, there shall be one representative of the Mayors of the Component Cities to be chosen from among themselves. The Chairman of the RPOC shall appoint the three (3) representatives of the private sector, upon consultation with the members of the Council and with the approval of the SILG. The regional counterpart of the CSAFP shall be the Commander of the Infantry Division. Departments, offices and agencies with no regional and/or field offices shall not sit in the RPOC.
(c)	The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) shall be composed of the provincial counterparts of the departments, offices and agencies as enumerated in paragraph (a) above, wherever applicable, with the Provincial Governor as Chairman and the Vice Governor as Vice Chairman. In additional there shall be one representative of the Sangguniang Lalawigan to be chosen by it from among its members. The Chairman of the PPOC shall appoint the three (3) representatives of the private sector, upon consultation with the members of the Council and with the approval of the Commander of the Infantry Division and the Regional Director of the PNP. The provincial counterpart of the CSAFP shall be the Brigade Commander or, in the case of Palawan, the Commander of the Western Command. Departments, offices and agencies with no provincial and/or field offices shall not sit in the PPOC.
(d)	The City or Municipal Peace and Order Council (CPOC or MPOC) shall be composed of the city or municipal counterparts of the departments, offices and agencies as enumerated in paragraph (a) above, wherever applicable, with the Mayor as Chairman and the Vice Mayor as Vice Chairman. In addition, there shall be one representative or the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan, as the case may be, to be chosen by the said Sanggunian from among its members. The Chairman of the CPOC or MCOP shall appoint the three (3) representatives from the private sector, upon consultation with the members of the Council and with the approval of the Brigade Commander or, in the case of Palawan, the Commander of the Western Command, and the Regional Director of the PNP. Departments, offices and agencies with no city, municipal, and/or field offices shall not sit in the CPOC or MPOC.

Sec. 2. Responsibility of the NPOC. - The NPOC shall be responsible for the following functions:

(a)	To contribute to the strategies of the National Security Council that would effectively respond to peace and order problems;
(b)	To coordinate and monitor peace and order plans;
(c)	To provide a forum for inter-disciplinary dialogue and deliberation of major issues and problems affecting peace and order;
(d)	To perform such other duties and functions as the President may direct.

Sec. 3. Duties and Functions of Sub-National Councils. - The RPOCs, PPOCs, CPOCs, and MPOCs shall have the following duties and functions:

(a)	Provide a forum for dialogue and deliberation of major issues and problems affecting peace and order, including insurgency;
(b)	Recommend measures which will improve or enhance peace and order and public safety in their respective areas of responsibility, including anti-insurgency measures;
(c)	Initiate and/or oversee the convergence and the orchestration of internal security operations efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police;
(d)	Apply moral suasion to and/or recommend sanctions against local chief executives who are giving material and political support to the Communist rebels;
(e)	Monitor the provision of livelihood and infrastructure development programs and projects in the remote rural and indigenous population areas adopted to isolate them from the Communist rebels' "Agitate/Arouse, Organize and Mobilize" and ideological, political and organization works;
(f)	Perform all other functions assigned by law, the President or the NPOC.

The Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVOs) shall be managed and supervised by the respective Regional, Provincial, City or Municipal Director of the PNP.

Sec. 4. Peace and Order Council Secretariat. - There shall be a Peace and Order Council Secretariat which shall handle the administrative and technical activities of the Peace and Order Council that is organized in the various administrative levels of government. The Secretariat shall also undertake liasing and coordination of activities with appropriate agencies of the government.

The SILG shall act as the Secretary-General of the RPOC. The Regional Director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall head the RPOC Secretariat.

At the provincial, city and municipal levels, the Secretariat of the PPOC, CCOC and MPOC shall be headed by the most senior DILG officer stationed in the province, city or municipality.

The Secretariat at each level shall be assisted in its functions and duties by the regular staff of the Council Chairman.

Sec. 5. Regional ISO Convergence Office. - There is hereby created in each region a Regional ISO Convergence Office under the RPOC. It shall focus on the convergence and the orchestration of internal security operations (ISO) efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police.

The Infantry Division Commander shall act as the Executive Officer. He shall be assisted by the Presidential Assistant for the Region.

Sec. 6. Kalayaan Barangay. - The Kalayaan Barangay list drawn up by the Department of Defense may be amended, with the approval of the Unified Area Commander, to conform with the need to provide livelihood and infrastructure development programs and projects in the relevant remote rural and indigenous population areas adopted to isolate them from the Communist rebels' "Agitate/Arouse, Organize and Mobilize" and ideological, political and organization works.

Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All prior issuances on the organization and functions of the Peace and Order Council inconsistent herewith shall be deemed superseded by this Order.

Sec. 8. Effectivity. - This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 19th day of August, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eight.


By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary