I
Purpose

The DFA Committee on Hold Order List is created in order to conduct an assessment of hold order lists submitted by other agencies of government through the National Intelligence Board (NIB) and recommend to the SECRETARY the disposition of each of the cases.  The Committee shall also coordinate the processing of passport applications of persons included in the Hold Order List and recommend to the SECRETARY whether or not to issue a passport to them.

Under the new Administrative Code, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs has the final responsibility on matters pertaining to the issuance or non-issuance of passport.  The DFA Committee on Hold Order List therefore, will be providing the inputs needed by the SECRETARY as a basis for his decision.

II
Composition

The Committee shall be composed by the following:

III
Procedures

a.  Inclusion of Persons in the Hold Order List - The Committee shall deliberate on the cases of persons included in the Hold Order List submitted by the NIB and submit to the SECRETARY recommendations on whether or not to include these persons in the DFA Hold Order List.  In no instance shall the Committee accept from other agencies of government requests for the inclusion of persons in the Hold Order List without passing through the NIB Committee.  In case an agency sends its request directly to DFA, the Committee shall forward the request to the NIB for initial processing.  The DFA Hold Order List must be kept active by deleting the names of those persons already given final clearances by the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR), and the addition of those whose names are approved by the SECRETARY for inclusion.

b.  Passport Application of Those in the Hold Order List for -

1. PCGG Cases: Applicant submits passport application to the Office of Consular Services (OCS). OCS advises applicant that his name is included in the Hold Order List and that no passport can be issued to him until he is properly cleared.  OCS forwards application to DFA Committee on Hold Order List for deliberation.  DFA Committee endorses application to the Office of the President (OP) which in turn checks with the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Sandiganbayan on whether or not a clearance could be issued to the passport applicant, and based on the result of this agency check, instructs the DFA Committee accordingly.  The Committee informs the SECRETARY about the instructions from the OP, and the latter directs OCS through the Committee whether or not to issue a passport to the applicant. OCS informs applicant about the decision on his passport application.

2. Other Cases: OCS informs the applicant to get a clearance from the OPR. OCS submits passport application together with the clearance to the Committee for deliberation.  Committee endorses the application together with the clearance to the NIB which will then countercheck with the OPR.  OPR authenticates the clearance.  NIB recommends to the Committee a course of action.  The Committee studies the recommendation and makes its own recommendation to the SECRETARY.  The SECRETARY ™s decision is transmitted to the OCS through the Committee, for implementation.  OCS informs the applicant about the decision.

IV
Effectivity

This Order will become effective upon approval.

Adopted: 20 March 1990