WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 603 (1974) created the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) under the Office of the President with the primary function of coordinating and monitoring the implementation and enforcement of all laws relative to the promotion of child and youth welfare;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 233 (1987) redefined the role, structure and membership of the Council in order to enable it to more effectively carry out its responsibilities in ensuring the cooperation of the government agencies concerned with child and youth welfare and development and it was made as an attached agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);

WHEREAS, by virtue of Republic Act No. 8980 (2000), the council shall also function as the National Early Childhood Care and Development Coordinating Council (NECCDCC) which was organized to ensure that sustained inter-agency and multi-sectoral collaboration from the national, provincial city/municipal to barangay levels to institutionalize a national system for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and the Council/NECCDCC shall be under the Office of the President;

WHEREAS, under RA 8980, the CWC Secretariat, which also serves as the Secretariat of the NECCDCC, shall be headed by an Executive Director, and assisted by (2) Deputy Executive Directors, one of whom shall be exclusively concerned with ECCD Concerns and the other exclusively concerned with the existing functions of the CWC;

WHEREAS, by virtue of Executive Order No. 349, (2004) clear lines of authority over CWC and NECCDCC Secretariat were established and the Secretaries of Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Education were directed to exercise primary oversight functions over the Deputy Executive Director for CWC Concerns and the Deputy Executive Director for ECCD Concerns, respectively;

WHEREAS, there is a necessity to designate a focal agency that will oversee the operations of the CWC Secretariat and harmonize the effective and efficient operationalization of its mandates, specifically in monitoring the implementation and enforcement of all laws for children (per PD 603, as amended) and is promulgating policies and guidelines for ECCD programs (per RA 8980);

WHEREAS, by virtue of EO 221 (2003), the DSWD is mandated to provide assistance to local government units, non-government organizations, other national government agencies, people's organizations, and other members of civil society in effectively implementing programs, projects and services that will alleviate poverty and empower disadvantaged individuals, families and communities, to include the children's sector, for an improved quality of life;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 292 (1987), otherwise known as the "Administrative Code of 1987", grants the President continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Executive Branch;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Council for the Welfare of Children is hereby placed as an attached agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

SECTION 2. The Council for the Welfare of Children shall have the following functions:

1. Coordinate the implementation of all laws relative to the promotion of child and youth welfare and protection of their rights;
   
   
2. Formulate an integrated national policy and long-range programs, monitor the enforcement of the laws on children, and ensure that all implementing member agencies carry out its provisions;
   
   
3. Advocate and recommend to the President and other appropriate agencies for implementation on a nationwide scale when appropriate, new, innovative, pilot programs and services for the general welfare of children and youth;
   
   
4. Mobilize resource assistance and call upon and utilize any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentalities, public, private, or voluntary, for such assistance as it may require in the performance of its functions;
   
   
5. Submit annually to the President, through the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, a comprehensive report on its activities and accomplishments; and
   
   
6. Perform such other functions as provided by law.
   

SECTION 3. The Council shall ensure the effective implementation of Presidential Decree 603 as amended and Republic Act 8980 and shall coordinate among government agencies such as, but not limited to the following agencies: National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), National Youth Commission (NYC) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC).

SECTION 4. The CWC shall also function as the National Early Childhood Care and Development Coordinating Council (NECCDCC), whereby in addition to the composition of the CWC, two (2) ECCD experts shall be appointed by the Chairperson.

SECTION 5. The Council Secretariat, shall be headed by an Executive Director with a rank of Career Executive Service Officer I (CESO I), and will serve as the Secretariat of both the Council and the NECCDCC.

SECTION 6. All orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. This Executive Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its publication in a national newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 28th day of June, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Seven.


By the President:

EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary