WHEREAS, Article II, Section 9 of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all;

WHEREAS, Section II of Republic Act No. 8435, otherwise known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997, declares that the State shall enable those who belong to the agriculture and fisheries sectors to participate and share in the fruits of development and growth, and that the State shall ensure the availability, adequacy, accessibility and affordability of food supplies to all at all times

WHEREAS, by virtue of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, the local government units (LGUs) agree to perform their roles and responsibilities, in coordination with all National Government Agencies (NGAs) concerned and the private sector, as the principal stewards of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Programs within their respective jurisdiction in achieving the national targets necessary to attain food security for the country, especially for the poor;

WHEREAS, in the pursuit of the mandates provided by the Constitution and existing laws, the national and local governments have committed to ensure the attainment of sustainable food security and the alleviation of poverty and the shaping of a safe, healthy and environmentally sound society;

WHEREAS, a Food Security Covenant ™99 has been adopted unanimously by the participants to the Governors ™ Workshop on Food Security held from January 10-12, 1999 recommending to the President the creation of a government body that will address self-sufficiency in food production, ensure the improvement of the standard of living of farmers and fisherfolk beyond the poverty threshold, identify adequate funds in support of the Food Security Program, and promote coordination among NGAs, LGUs and the private sector.

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

SEC. 1. Organization of the National Council on Food Security. - The National Council on Food Security, herein referred to as NCFS, is hereby constituted to act as the overall coordinating body in the formulation of policy guidelines and master plans and programs, as well as in the implementation of projects that ensure the attainment of the national vision, mission, goals, objectives and targets of a workable and sustainable Food Security Program.

SEC. 2. Composition of the NCFS. - The NCFS shall be composed of the following:

(a)	President of the Republic of the Philippines	Chairman
(b)	Secretary of Agriculture	Vice-Chairman
(c)	Secretary of the Interior and Local Government	Vice-Chairman
(d)	President, League of Provinces of the Philippines	Vice-Chairman
(e)	Secretary of Agrarian Reform	Member
(f)	Secretary of Trade and Industry	Member
(g)	Secretary of Budget and Management	Member
(h)	Secretary of Science and Technology	Member
(i)	Secretary of Health	Member
(j)	Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources	Member
(k)	Secretary of Public Works and Highways	Member
(l)	Chairman of Commission on Higher Education	Member
(m)	Chairman of National Irrigation Administration	Member
(n)	Administrator, National Food Authority	Member
(o)	Administrator, Cooperative Development Authority	Member
(p)	Lead Convenor of National Anti-Poverty Commission	Member
(q)	Governor, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao	Member
(r)	President, League of Municipalities of the Philippines	Member
(s)	President, League of Cities of the Philippines	Member
(t)	President, National Liga ng mga Barangay	Member
(u)	Two (2) Representatives, Farmers Sector	Member
(v)	Two (2) Representatives, Fisheries Sector	Member
(w)	Two (2) Representatives, Business Sector	Member
(x)	Two (2) Representatives, Consumer Sector	Member

The Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture shall be invited as Ex-officio members of the NCFS. The Chairman of the NCFS may designate other additional members as he may deem necessary.

The President of the Philippines shall appoint the sectoral representatives upon the joint recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Interior and Local Government, Secretary of Trade and Industry, and the President of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP).

SEC. 3. Duties and Functions of the NCFS. - The NCFS shall perform the following functions:

(a) To review all existing policies, plans, programs and projects of the government related to food security;

(b) To formulate and recommend national policies, plans, and programs on food security, particularly, in the agriculture and fisheries sectors;

(c) To design and adopt a comprehensive National Food Security Plan and Program, in consonance with the medium and long-term Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Plan as provided for in Republic Act No. 8435, after consultations with concerned NGAs, LGUs, non-government organizations and local agriculture and fishery councils;

(d) To generate and mobilize resources from domestic and foreign sources for the implementation of the National Food Security Program as well as rationalize the use and the equitable distribution of such resources to LGUs;

(e) To formulate the guidelines for the development and implementation of City/Provincial Food Security Action Plans in accordance with the National Food Security Program;

(f) To design and implement a reward system and the appropriate mechanism specifically granting, on an annual basis, the incentive(s) for provinces adjudged as excellent or outstanding implementers of their respective Food Security Action Plan;

(g) To ensure the conduct of regular monitoring, evaluation, and validation of the Programs; and

(h) To call on any government agency or instrumentality as it may deem necessary in the exercise of its functions.

SEC. 4. Organization of the Provincial/City Council on Food Security. - The NCFS shall coordinate the organization in every province/ICC/HUC of a Council on Food Security herein referred to as Provincial/City CFS, to ensure the attainment of the vision, mission, goals, objectives, and targets of a workable and sustainable Food Security Action Plan.

SEC. 5. Composition of the Provincial/City CFS. - The Provincial/City CFS shall be composed of the following:

(a)	Governor/City Mayor	-	Chairman
(b)	Provincial/City Agriculturist	-	Vice-Chairman
(c)	Provincial/City Director, DILG	-	Secretariat Head
(d)	Provincial/City Agrarian Reform Officer, DAR	-	Member
(e)	Provincial/City Manager, NFA	-	Member
(f)	Provincial/City Director, DTI	-	Member
(g)	Provincial/City Director, DOST	-	Member
(h)	Provincial/City Environment and Natural Resources	-	Member
	Officer
(i)	Provincial/City Officer, CDA	-	Member
(j)	Provincial/City Officer, PCA	-	Member
(k)	President, League of Cities (Provincial Chapter)	-	Member
(l)	President, League of Municipalities (Provincial Chapter)	-	Member
(m)	President, Liga ng mga Barangay (Provincial/City Chapter)	-	Member
(n)	Representative, State Colleges and Universities	-	Member
(o)	Representative, Farmers Sector	-	Member
(p)	Representative, Fisheries Sector	-	Member
(q)	Representative, Business Sector		Member
(r)	Representative, Consumer Sector		Member

The representatives of the sectors concerned shall be appointed by the Provincial Governor/City Mayor upon the endorsement of the DILG and DA.

SEC. 6. Duties and Functions of the Provincial/City CFS. - The Provincial/City CFS shall perform the following functions:

(a) To oversee the successful implementation of the Provincial/City Food Security Action Plan, in close coordination with concerned NGAs or their respective field offices, component LGUs, and NGOs/POs and private and business sector within their jurisdiction;

(b) To review, formulate, and recommend to the NCFS nationally significant and locally relevant food security policies pursuant to the goals and objectives of the National Food Security Program;

(c) To assist the Local Price Coordinating Council in the monitoring of prices of major food commodities such as rice, corn, fish, vegetables, and other food items, and in finding ways for regulating the prices of prime commodities in the locality within its jurisdiction;

(d) To facilitate access to production and marketing resources and opportunities for the food industry sector through the initiation of agreements with government and private financing institutions;

(e) To ensure the availability and access to production inputs, post-harvest facilities, markets for the local produce, appropriate technology, and technical assistance to farmers and fisherfolk;

(f) To ensure the availability of adequate and affordable food supply in the market by promoting inter-LGU coordination, market linkages and trading of basic commodities;

(g) To monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Provincial/City Food Security Action Plan on a semi-annual basis;

(h) To prepare and submit semi-annual reports of Program implementation to the NCFS through the National Secretariat; and

(i) To perform other functions deemed necessary for the successful implementation of the Food Security Program at the local level.

SEC. 7. Provincial/City Food Security Action Plan. - In accordance with the guidelines promulgated by the NCFS, every province/ICC/HUC, through the Office of the Provincial Governor/City Mayor must develop and implement a Provincial/City Food Security Action Plan which incorporates the respective food security action plan inputs of the component cities and/or LGUs within its jurisdiction, taking into account the actual needs and available resources of the province/city in relation to food security and related programs and projects of NGAs concerned in their respective areas.

All Provincial/City Food Security Action Plans shall be submitted to the NCFS through the National Secretariat on the date prescribed by the NCFS.

SEC. 8. Funding and Administrative Support for the Food Security Program of the Province/City. - All Governors/City Mayors, through their respective Sangguniang Panlalawigan/Panlunsod, shall provide specific budgetary appropriation under the local development plan of the province/city, for their Provincial/City Food Security Action Plan, including the setting up an agricultural engineering unit to complement the extension services for the purpose.

As a counterpart support from the National Government, the Department of Agriculture and all concerned NGAs shall allocate funds intended for the Food Security Program in accordance with the criteria and guidelines to be formulated by the NCFS.

SEC. 9. Organization of the National Secretariat on Food Security. - The National Secretariat on Food Security, herein referred to as National Secretariat, is hereby organized to coordinate and implement such policies, implementing rules and regulations, as may be promulgated by the NCFS and its constituent Provincial/City CFS. The National Secretariat shall likewise perform the following functions:

(a) To provide administrative support and technical assistance to the NCFS and the Provincial/City CFS, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and other NGAs concerned;

(b) To coordinate with all the agencies and organizations/sectors involved in the design of the National Food Security Plan and its implementation;

(c) To develop and implement an advocacy campaign strategy for the Program;

(d) To validate and review the LGU Action Plans on Food Security;

(e) To monitor and evaluate Program implementation in coordination with DILG/DA Regional Offices;

(f) To assist the NCFS in the implementation of the reward/incentive system;

(g) To perform other functions that may be assigned by the NCFS.

The Secretariat shall be attached to DILG. An Executive Director who is appointed by the President shall head the Secretariat. The Executive Director shall be assisted by two (2) Deputy Executive Directors and an administrative staff. The Department of Agriculture, DILG, and LPP shall provide the technical staff complement for the National Secretariat.

To supplement its manpower resources, each DILG Regional Office shall serve as extension office of the Secretariat in the region. It shall assist the National Secretariat in the exercise of its functions at the local level, in coordination with DA Regional Office. It shall coordinate with DILG Provincial/City Office which shall act as the secretariat of the Local CFS for the effective discharge of its functions.

SEC. 10. Funding for the National Secretariat. - For the current year, 1999, the Department of Agriculture shall provide funds for the operations of the National secretariat in the amount of P20 Million to be taken from the 1.a Agrikulturang Makamasa Program of the Department of Agriculture. Thereafter, the Secretariat shall have its own budget incorporated in the yearly appropriation for DILG.

SEC. 11. Inter-agency Coordination. - All concerned departments and their attached agencies, LGUs, government-owned-and-controlled corporations (GOCCs), and other instrumentalities of the government are hereby directed to cooperate and give their full support to the NCFS and the Provincial/City CFS to ensure the effective performance of their functions.

SEC. 12. Administrative and Implementing Guidelines. - The NCFS shall adopt administrative and implementing guidelines as may be necessary to implement this Executive Order.

SEC. 13 . Effectivity. - This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 13th day of March 1999.

(SGD.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary