WHEREAS, the Philippines upholds the human rights of people including their rights to travel;

WHEREAS, trafficking in persons, particularly women and children has emerged as a major global issue owing to the involvement of transnational organized criminal groups who take advantage of the vulnerable conditions of migrants;

WHEREAS, in their desire to seek employment abroad, a significant number of Filipinos have become victims of unscrupulous individuals and entities who entice them to obtain entry to destination countries at whatever costs and means;

WHEREAS, victims of trafficking, particularly women and children, have been exposed to situations of abuse, exploitation, violence, and the violation of their human rights, thereby rendering them even more vulnerable to the adverse effects of poverty;

WHEREAS, the Philippines as a founding member of the UN, has actively participated in global efforts, including UN initiatives, to suppress trafficking in persons, in particular the UN Resolutions on the Traffic of Women and Girls;

WHEREAS, global efforts to suppress trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, have been pursued and have progressed through various inter-governmental and multilateral initiatives;

WHEREAS, in support of these global efforts, the Philippines has taken an active role in evolving a regional approach to suppress trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, as exemplified by inter alia its leadership in the Manila Process and the Asian Regional Initiative Against Trafficking (ARIAT);

WHEREAS, there is a need for a body that will ensure an integrated approach for the review, consideration, approval, management and monitoring of bilateral, regional and multilateral initiatives to suppress trafficking in persons, particularly women and children;

WHEREAS, concerned Philippine government agencies undertake programs and activities to suppress trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, based on their respective mandates;

WHEREAS, there is a need to institutionalize the process of coordination and collaboration among concerned agencies in the implementation of these programs to achieve greater efficiency.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Creation of the Executive Council. An Executive Council on the Suppression of Trafficking in Persons, particularly Women and Children, is hereby created.

SEC. 2. Composition. The Executive Council shall be chaired by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and co-chaired by the Secretary of Interior and Local Government. It shall have for its members, the Secretaries of the following departments:

1)	Department of Justice (DOJ)
2)	Department of National Defense (DND)
3)	Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
4)	Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
5)	Department of Tourism (DOT)
6)	Office of the Executive Secretary, Office of the President (OP)

The Executive Council shall be supported by the Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) to be composed of the above agencies and the following:

1)	Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF)
2)	Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC)
3)	National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM)
4)	Philippine National Police (PNP)
5)	National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
6)	Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO)
7)	National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW)
8)	Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
9)	Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
10)	Commission on Human Rights (CHR)
11)	National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC)

For this purpose, the TCC shall coordinate with the civil society particularly non-government organizations (NGOs), private business sector, academe and other interest groups in the formulation of policies and the implementation of government initiatives to suppress trafficking in persons, particularly women and children.

The Department of Foreign Affairs shall serve as Chair of the TCC. The TCC shall elect from among themselves a Co-Chair and a Vice-Chair.

SEC. 3. Secretariat. The Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC), being the Presidential agency tasked to formulate and implement a concerted program of action of all law enforcement, intelligence and other agencies for the prevention and control of transnational crimes, as mandated by Section 1 of Executive Order No. 62, shall serve as the Secretariat of the Executive Council.

SEC. 4. Functions. The Executive Council shall assist the President in the formulation of policies and in their implementation in order to suppress trafficking in persons, particularly women and children. Specifically, the Executive Council, through the TCC, shall undertake appropriate programs and activities on the following key areas:

• Advocacy, Education, Training and Other Preventive Measures;
  
  
• Law Enforcement and Legislative Initiatives;
  
  
• Criminal Justice Management;
  
  
• Institutional and Intelligence Build-up and Networking;
  
  
• National Assistance Program, particularly Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Victims;
  
  
• Bilateral, Regional and International Cooperation; and
  
  
• Other areas relevant to the suppression of trafficking in persons, particularly women and children.
  

SEC. 5. Data/Information Sharing. The Executive Council shall ensure the effective exchange of data, information, or any pertinent report between and among member-agencies and support agencies.

SEC. 6. Security and Confidentiality of Data/Information. Data and information acquired from agencies shall be treated as confidential and shall be used only for lawful and official purposes.

The TCC shall formulate the necessary guidelines that will define the levels of access security guidelines for this purpose.

SEC. 7. Support Agencies. The Executive Council may seek the assistance and support of any Department, Bureau, Office, or any government agency, and engage civil society in the attainment of its objectives.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Executive Council shall convene within 30 days after the effectivity of this Order to consider and approve necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this Order.

SEC. 9. Meetings. The Executive Council shall meet at least once every quarter or as often as necessary. The TCC, on the other hand, shall meet regularly on a monthly basis.

SEC. 10. Funding. Initially for the current year, a funding of not less P5 million shall be sourced from the Presidential Contingency Fund/PAGCOR. Member-agencies can also draw from the current budget, including but not limited to savings and unprogrammed funds. For the succeeding years, funding requirements shall be included in the regular appropriation of said agencies.

SEC. 11. Reporting. The Executive Council shall submit appropriate reports and recommendations to the President at least once a year or as often as may be deemed necessary.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila this 23rd day of March in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand.


By the President:

RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary