WHEREAS, to set the moral tone in promoting honesty, integrity and accountability in public service, the Executive Branch of the Government must lead in the pursuit of the common commitment against graft and corruption by declaring a national policy thereon, and creating a committee tasked with the implementation of such policy;

WHEREAS, Article XVIII, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution provides, that: œThe incumbent President shall continue to exercise legislative powers until the first Congress is convened ;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - The Department Secretary shall be directly responsible to the President in eradicating graft and corruption in his Department and the offices, agencies, government-owned or controlled corporations attached to or under his Department. The Department Secretary shall likewise be responsible to the President for the implementation of policies and programs to minimize or prevent graft and corruption and to promote the ethical standards of public service.

SECTION 2. Creation of a Presidential Committee on Public Ethics and Accountability. - In the implementation of the aforesaid policy, there is hereby created a Presidential Committee on Public Ethics and Accountability, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, to be composed of the following:

Cabinet Secretary Jose P. De Jesus - Chairman Secretary Sedfrey Ordo ez - Member Department of Agriculture   Secretary Carlos A. Dominguez - Member Department of Agriculture   Secretary Vicente Jayme - Member Department of Public Works and Highways   Secretary Alfredo R.A. Bengzon - Member Department of Health   Secretary Fulgencio S. Factoran, Jr. - Member Department of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources   Chairman Ramon Diaz, Jr. - Member Presidential Commission on Good Government  

The other members of the Cabinet shall serve as Resource Persons of the Committee.

The Committee shall assist the President and the Cabinet in coordinating the efforts of the various Departments in combatting graft and corruption and in promoting the ethical standards of public service in the Executive Branch of the Government.

The Committee shall meet at least once a month or as often as the Chairman may deem it necessary.

The Office of the Cabinet Secretary shall provide the technical and administrative support to this Committee. The Office of the Cabinet Secretary may establish a Coordinating and Action Center to be staffed by full time or detailed personnel as and when the need for the same arises.

SECTION 3. Action Officers. - Each Department shall designate its Action Officer to serve as its operational link to the Committee on matters relating to this Administrative Order.

SECTION 4. System of Reporting. - The Committee shall submit periodic reports to the Cabinet and the President.

The Department Secretary, through the Action Officer, shall be responsible in reporting to the Committee efforts to control graft and corruption undertaken in his Department.

SECTION 5. Information Dissemination. - The individual Departments concerned shall be responsible for the conduct of education and information campaigns on public ethics in their respective offices with a view to enkindle public vigilance against graft and corruption and to solicit the participation of the public in this information campaign. The Committee shall assist these efforts by disseminating as wide as possible the overall government effort on public ethics, including the raising of consciousness and awareness in the government sector against graft and corruption.

SECTION 6. Involvement of Other Entities. - In the performance at its functions, the Committee may call upon appropriate agencies of government and involve relevant non-governmental organizations, private voluntary organizations or civic associations for assistance.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. - This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven.


By the President:
(Sgd.) JOKER P. ARROYO
Executive Secretary