WHEREAS, Sec. 14 of Art. XIII of the Philippine Constitution provides for the protection of women by providing such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to realize their full potential in the service of the nation;

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 633 dated 7 January 1975 created the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, to ensure the full integration of women for economic, social and cultural development at the national, regional and international levels and to ensure further the equality between men and women;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 348 dated 17 February 1989 approved and adopted the Philippine Development Plan for Women for 1989-1992, as prepared by the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, in coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority; and tasked the said agencies to monitor the implementation of the Plan;

WHEREAS, with the completion of the Philippine Development Plan for Women in 1992, there is a need to strengthen the mandate of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, pursuant to Republic Act 7192 or the Women in Development and Nation Building Act, which tasks the Commission to provide assistance in ensuring the formulation and nationwide implementation of gender-responsive government policies, programs and projects; and,

WHEREAS, Section 20, Book III of Executive Order No. 292 (Revised Administrative Code), and Section 60 of the General Provisions of R.A. No. 7663 empower the President to direct changes in the organization and key positions in any department, bureau, or agency in the Executive Branch.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the further definition of the composition, powers and functions of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women.

SECTION 1. Composition of the Commission. The National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, hereinafter referred to as the œCommission , shall be composed of twenty one (21) members, as follows:

1.1 A Chairperson who shall be appointed by the President;

1.2 Ten (10) representatives from the Government, who are heads of the following Departments: Labor and Employment (DOLE); National Economic Development Authority (NEDA); Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Agriculture (DA); Education, Culture and Sports (DECS); Health (DOH); Foreign Affairs (DFA); Interior and Local Government (DILG); Trade and Industry (DTI); and, Budget and Management (DBM); and,

Ten (10) members from the non-governmental organizations representing the following: Labor; Business and Industry; Science and Health; Education or Academe; Urban Poor; Indigenous Peoples; Peasants and Fisherfolks, Elderly and Disabled; Media and Arts; Youth; and, a representative of the National Council of Women in the Philippines.

SEC. 2. Status of the Commission. The Commission shall have the same status as that of a government agency attached to the Office of the President.

SEC. 3. Nature of the Commission. The Commission shall be the primary policy-making and coordinating body of all women development programs and institutions in the Philippines: Provided, That in case of women development programs of various line departments, the same shall be formulated and implemented by the respective Departments with the assistance of the Commission within the framework of the Philippine development plans for women that will be adopted thereafter.

SEC. 4. Objectives of the Commission. The objectives of the Commission are:

To promote women ™s empowerment through the policies and programs for women ™s effective participation and as full and equal partners of men in the social, economic and political development as well as in nation building; and,

To enable Government agencies to effectively address gender concerns in development processes from planning, programming, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in the national and local levels.

SEC. 5. Functions of the Commission. The functions of the Commission are hereby re-focused as follows:

5.1 Institute the gender responsiveness of national developments plans and coordinate the preparation, assessment and updating of the National Plan for Women, ensure its implementation and monitor the performance of government agencies in the implementation of the Plan at all levels;

5.2 Undertake continuing advocacy to promote women economic, social and political empowerment and provide technical assistance in the setting-up and strengthening of mechanisms on gender mainstreaming; and,

5.3 Ensure that the gains achieved by Filipino women due to Philippine culture and tradition shall be preserved and enhanced in the process of modernization.

SEC. 6. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the city of Manila this 10th day of October in the Year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety four.

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

By the President:

(Sgd.) TEOFISTO T. GUINGONA, JR.
Executive Secretary