WHEREAS, the 1995 World Summit for Social Development endorsed the 20/20 Initiative for universal access to basic social services, calling on developed and developing countries to agree on a mutual commitment to allocate, on average, twenty percent (20%) of Official Development Assistance and twenty percent (20%) of the national budgets, respectively, to basic social programs;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Constitution mandates that the goal of the national economy is the more equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth;

WHEREAS, the Philippine Government is committed to the attainment of economic development, social equity and social justice.

WHEREAS, the Philippine Government has considered poverty eradication, people empowerment and the provision of basic social services as essential components of its agenda for governance;

WHEREAS, this 20/20 initiative was reviewed and discussed at a special follow-up conference in Hanoi, Vietnam on 27-29 October 1998, which underlined that the goal of universal access to basic social services is based on ethical, legal and economic grounds; and reiterated the indicative allocation of 20/20 in order to close the gap between current spending and the minimum level required to reach universality;

WHEREAS, the more efficient and effective delivery of basic social services is consistent with the Philippine Government ™s agenda for poverty eradication and people empowerment;

WHEREAS, the social development objectives of the 1995 World Summit for Social Development (in the 20/20 initiative) parallel that of the Philippine Government ™s in the sense that both aim at universal and comprehensive access to basic social services, particularly health and education;

WHEREAS, there is a need to systematically mobilize foreign relations to meet national needs such as peace, development and human dignity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Presidential Task Force on the 20/20 Initiative. A Presidential Task Force on the 20/20 Initiative (hereinafter referred to as the œTask Force ) is hereby established under the Office of the President, to be composed as follows:

a.	Secretary of Agrarian Reform	-	Chairman
b.	Secretary of Foreign Affairs	-	Co-Chair
c.	Secretary of Social Welfare and Development	-	Member
d.	Secretary of Health	-	Member
c.	Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports	-	Member
f.	Director-General National Economic and Development Authority	-	Member
g.	Undersecretary of Interior and Local Government	-	Member
h.	Secretary of Finance	-	Member
i.	Secretary of Labor and Employment	-	Member
j.	Secretary-General, National Anti-Poverty Commission	-	Member
k.	President, Development Academy of the Philippines	-	Member

The Chairmen and the members may designate their respective representatives to the Task Force.

SEC. 2. Functions of the Task Force.  The Task Force shall be a policy advisory body for the President and facilitator of coordinated programs and resource mobilization efforts for the 20/20 Initiative and shall meet as and when necessary. The Task Force shall exercise the following functions and responsibilities:

a. To initiate advocacy programs to promote understanding and appreciation of the initiative in helping meet the goals thereof;

b. To coordinate efforts among various government agencies and local government units towards fulfillment of the 20/20 initiative on basic social services;

c. To assist in the formulation of rules and policy on basic social services, and a Comprehensive Agenda of Action for 20/20 in the 21 st Century;

d. To provide technical support to the President in the area of basic social services vis-a-vis the 20/20 initiative;

e. To act as a focal point for harmonizing and strengthening the work of relevant agencies in the implementation of their respective programs and strategies for the delivery of basic social services, vis-a-vis the 20/20 initiative;

f. To call on and coordinate with any department, bureau or office of the Government, including government-owned and controlled corporations, to, render such assistance needed in the discharge of its functions; and

g. To coordinate with the Social Development Committee, particularly the Multi-Sectoral Committee on International Human Development Commitments, which is mandated to coordinate the monitoring, review and evaluation of the Philippine ™s compliance with international human development commitments.

SEC. 3. Report to the President. The Task Force shall submit a comprehensive report to the President by the 30 th day following the close of every calendar year, or whenever required to do so by the President.

SEC. 4. Role of Civil Society. The Task Force shall endeavor to perform its functions and work with the basic sectors of government, private business and civil society, and to develop therewith a dynamic and workable partnership based on the principle of participation, mutual interests and a common commitment to the alleviation of poverty.

SEC. 5. Secretariat. The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) shall serve as the Secretariat of the Task Force. The DAP President shall serve as the Executive Director of the Secretariat. He shall be assisted by a Deputy Director/Coordinator for the detailed day to day operations of the Secretariat.

The Secretariat shall be responsible for convening and preparing for the meetings of the Task Force.

The Secretariat shall have such number of personnel as may be necessary for the efficient and elective performance of its functions. All agencies represented in the Task Force may detail or assign an employee or employees to form the Secretariat on secondment. The Task Force may provide the members of the Secretariat with such honoraria or allowances as may be allowed by law and at rates consistent with those prescribed pursuant to the Unified Compensation and Position Classification System under RA No. 6758.

The DAP shall provide the necessary space and facilities for the Headquarters of the Secretariat.

SEC. 6. Funding. Subject to budgetary rules and regulations, an amount of THREE MILLION PESOS (P3,000,000.00) shall be sourced from the Office of the President as initial operating expenses of the Task Force for 1999. Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. Counterpart funding and technical assistance, however, shall also be sourced from ODA donors including grants from the UN system and other international organizations.

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. All orders and issuances or any part thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 06th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety nine.

(SGD.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary