WHEREAS, the Government recognizes that delivery of basic services should be undertaken in coordination with and among government instrumentalities and agencies and other concerned/affected sectors;

WHEREAS, the Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project (MMIP) is intended to bring development to Carmen, North Cotabato and its adjacent areas;

WHEREAS, the MMIP which will benefit thousands of families, may also displace or adversely affect a number of others whose legitimate concerns or grievances must be adequately addressed;

WHEREAS, certain groups may be deliberately; exploiting the situation to provoke or promote an armed conflict along religious beliefs and derail the ongoing peace process with the Southern Philippines Autonomous Group/MNLF;

WHEREAS, there is a need to address problems, among which are poverty, lawlessness, injustice and under-development of the area, from a wholistic point of view;

WHEREAS, to enable the government to undertake measures to promote the accelerated socio-economic development of Carmen and its adjacent areas, there is a need to create a body that shall formulate and implement short and medium-term plans for the areas covered herein as well as certain policy, planning and implementation issues.

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 following:

Section 1. Creation of the Inter-Agency Task Force. There is hereby created an Inter-Agency Task Force (hereinafter referred to as œTask Force ) which is hereby designated as Task Force MALMAR, to undertake an integrated development and security/law enforcement operations to facilitate the normalization of the peace and order condition and the socio-economic development of Carmen, Aleosan, Pikit and Kabacan, all of Cotabato, Pagalungan in Maguindanao, and other areas in the vicinity that may be subsequently included in the area of responsibility of the Task Force.

Sec. 2. Composition. The Task Force shall be headed by the Secretary of National Defense as Chairman, with the Secretary of Agriculture as Co-Chairman. Its members shall be composed of the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao; the Administrator, National Irrigation Administration (NIA); the Governors of ARMM, North Cotabato and Maguindanao; and senior representatives of the Secretaries/Heads of the following agencies with at least the rank of Director IV or equivalent:

a. Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
b. Department of Agrarian Reform;
c. Department of Public Works and Highways;
d. Department of Interior and Local Government;
e. Department of Energy;
f. Department of Education, Culture and Sports;
g. Department of Trade and Industry;
h. Department of Social Welfare and Development;
i. Department of Health;
j. Department of Justice;
k. Department of Transportation and Communication;
l. National Economic Development Authority;
m. Presidential Management Staff;
n. Philippine Information Agency;
o. Armed Forces of the Philippines (GHQ); and
p. Philippine National Police (National Headquarters).

Concerned local government executives, religious and community leaders, as may be determined by the Task Force, may be designated as ex-officio members, consultants, and/or advisers.

The Task Force is hereby authorized to call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, including government owned and controlled corporations, for such assistance as may be needed in the discharge of its functions.

Sec. 3. Functions. The Task Force shall have the following powers, functions, duties and responsibilities:

a.	Plan and implement an integrated multi-agency area development program in coordination with the local Peace and Order Councils and the Regional Development Council in the affected areas with the cooperation and support of the legislators, local government executives, religious and civic leaders, NGOs and POs;
b.	Adopt a process of maximum consultation with concerned agencies and communities to ensure that their needs, concerns and ideas are considered in the formulation of the socio-economic development program and the corresponding projects to be undertaken;
c.	Recommend and coordinate the adoption or adjustment/modification of existing/planned national and local agency programs/projects in the area;
d.	Formulate and supervise the implementation of an integrated and well-coordinated security and peace and order plan for the area;
e.	Formulate innovative schemes to provide opportunities for the private sector to participate in the planning and implementation of projects in the area;
f.	Act as interim central coordinating body and undertake measures to resolve local problems and issues that affect the socio-economic development of the area;
g.	Manage and coordinate government resources that will be utilized in implementation of identified priority development projects;
h.	Submit regular accomplishment reports to the President; and
i.	Perform such other tasks as may be directed by the President.

Sec. 4. Area Development Advisory Group. There shall be created an Area Development Advisory Group (ADAG) that shall provide advice to the Task Force in the resolution of security and development problems in the area. The members thereof shall also provide linkages with the concerned community leaders and the people affected by the MALMAR Irrigation Project and other development projects that will be undertaken in the area. The said Advisory Group shall be composed of concerned local government executives, community leaders, and representatives of civic and religious groups, and other concerned parties/affected communities.

Sec. 5. Executive Committee. The Task Force shall have an Executive Committee consisting of representatives from the Department of National Defense as Chairman; Department of Agriculture; Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Interior and Local Government; Department of Agrarian Reform; Philippine Information Agency; National Irrigation Administration, as members; and the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao; Commander, Southern Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines; Governors of Cotabato and Maguindanao, and selected NGO representatives as ex-officio members. The Executive Committee shall have the following functions, among others:

a.	Act as an executive body of the Task Force and oversee the implementation of its programs and projects;
b.	Act as an oversight body to assist and monitor the conduct of police and security operations and the public information and community relations efforts of the Task Force.

Sec. 6. Executive Director. The Commander, Southern Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines (COMSOUTHCOM) shall be the Task Force Executive Director who shall concurrently head the Secretariat and the Technical Support Staff. He shall have the following additional tasks/functions:

a.	Manage the planning and implementation of Task Force operations.
b.	Supervise the day-to-day implementation of Task Force plans, programs and projects.
c.	Prepare appropriate reports, including periodic progress reports on projects, to the President, thru the Task Force Chairman.

The Task Force Executive Director shall be assisted by a Deputy Executive Director and the Provincial Development Officers of Cotabato and Maguindanao who shall act as Assistant Executive Directors.

Sec. 7. Secretariat Support. The Office of the Commander, AFP Southern Command, shall provide administrative support to the Task Force. It shall be assisted by representatives from the member agencies in fulfilling its functions.

Sec. 8. Funding. The amount of THIRTY MILLION (P30,000,000.00), shall be drawn from the Calamity Fund for the initial operations and priority projects of the Task Force. Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be incorporated in the budget of the member/participating agencies.

Sec. 9. Effectivity. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 8^th day of November, 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