WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 134 (s. 1999) declared August 12 as the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Day and directed the Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to co-chair an ad-hoc Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) that will formulate and implement yearly activities, in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Manila, Philippine National Red Cross (PRC) and concerned non-government organizations (NGOs) and people ™s organizations in the country; and

WHEREAS, this year is the 66th Anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Convention, which is the most universally accepted IHL treaty in the world having been acceded to or ratified by one hundred ninety-six countries.

NOW, THEREFORE, all heads of departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) are hereby directed to extend their support and participate, while Local Government Units are hereby encouraged to extend their support and participate, in the programs and activities in line with the 2015 observance of the IHL Day, under the theme œPagkilala at Pagpapahalaga sa IHL, Responsibilidad ng Lahat,  in particular the following activities approved by the IHL ad hoc Committee:

1. Delivery of the Message for the 2015 commemoration of IHL Day and the 66th Anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions during the flag ceremony on 10 August 2015 (Monday);
2. Placement of the 2015 IHL streamer in conspicuous areas in the respective government offices and social media accounts;
3. Administration and participation in the seminars to be conducted by the members of the IHL ad hoc Committee; and
4. Video-showing of the 2015 IHL video clip and ICRC ™s œIHL in a Nutshell,  to be launched in the DFA website, in the respective government offices and social media accounts, within the month of August 2015.

Further, all agencies are encouraged to provide other support that may be deemed necessary to make the celebration more meaningful.

The DFA and the DND, in cooperation with PRC and the ICRC, shall spearhead the implementation of the programs and activities in line with this year ™s IHL Day observance and shall carry out the necessary coordination among the participating government agencies, bureaus, instrumentalities and GOCCs.

The heads of departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government and GOCCs are requested to submit their narrative report and photographs of their activities to the DFA for consolidation, as the lead agency for the 2015 observance. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs shall submit a report to the President, through the Executive Secretary, on the conduct of IHL Day activities.

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

By authority of the President:

(SGD.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary

Manila, Philippines, 11 August 2015