WHEREAS, Administrative Order No. 101, dated December 13, 1988, created a Human Rights Committee, composed of representatives from the Executive, Congress, the Commission on Human Rights, and private sector human rights groups to assess and monitor, on a continuing basis, the Philippine human rights situation and to advice the President on the proper measures that ought to be taken without delay;

WHEREAS, said Committee was created to show this Government ™s commitment to protect human rights and promote its observance by all, in accordance with the Constitution ™s Declaration of Principles and State Policies that, œThe State values dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights ;

WHEREAS, it has been noted that there are offices in the executive which, if included in the composition of the Committee, will render the Committee more effective and efficient in monitoring the Philippine human rights situation and in addressing human rights problems and in advising the President on the proper measures that ought to be taken without delay;

WHEREAS, said offices are: the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Health, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Administrative Order No. 101 is hereby amended to read as follows:

œSECTION 1. There is hereby created a Human Rights Committee, to be composed of:

The Secretary of Justice as Chairman.

The Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, the Presidential Legal Counsel, a Representative of the Department of National Defense, a Representative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, a Representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs, a Representative of the Department of Health, a Representative of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a Senator and a Congressman as the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may wish to designate, and two representatives of private human rights groups to be nominated by said groups and appointed by the President, as members .

SECTION 2. - This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 14th day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety-two.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) EDELMIRO A. AMANTE, SR.
Executive Secretary