CREATING THE SOCIAL PROTECTION COORDINATING COMMITTEE TO HARMONIZE AND COORDINATE SOCIAL PROTECTION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

12.00

WHEREAS, the provision of and access to
social protection is a basic strategy towards the realization of human
development and a better quality of life for Filipinos–the overriding goals of
the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan;

WHEREAS, the Social Security Law (R.A.
No. 1161, as amended), Revised Government Service Insurance Act (PD 1146, as
amended), Revised Philippine Medical Care Act (PD 1579, as amended), and the
law on Employees’ Compensation found in the Labor Code of the Philippines (PD
442, as amended), particularly Articles 166-208A are the laws that govern the
right of Filipinos to social security;

WHEREAS, the existing institutional and
program framework for social protection, as provided for by law, needs to be
rationalized in the light of present realities;

WHEREAS, the upgrading of social security
benefits for workers and the expansion of coverage to include those in the
informal sector are concerns raised in the 1996 National Tripartite Conference
and the Master Plan of Operations of the Social Reform Agenda for the informal
sector, respectively.

WHEREAS, it was resolved during the
National Workshop on Social Security Protection on 30-31 July 1996, attended by
policy level representatives from social security institutions, government,
employers organizations, labor groups, NGOs and the informal sector that a body
to harmonize and coordinate social security programs and policies be created.

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

SECTION 1. Coordinating Committee. A Social
Protection Coordinating Committee, attached to the Office of the President,
which shall harmonize and coordinate policies and programs on social protection
is hereby created.

SEC. 2. Composition. The following shall compose the
Committee:

The representatives of the labor and employer
sectors shall be appointed by the President from among the nominees of their
respective organizations.

SEC. 3. Responsibility of the Committee. The
Committee shall undertake a complete and comprehensive review and study of the
various social protection programs in the Philippines, including but not
limited to, the programs being implemented by the SSS, GSIS, ECC, HDMF, the new
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the RSBS/AFP, with the end view of
reforming, rationalizing and aligning them, taking into account the need of the
people, on the one hand, and the prevailing social and economic conditions and
available resources, on the other. Within six months from the issuance of this
Executive Order, the Committee shall submit to the President its findings and
recommendations.

SEC. 4. Technical Working Group. To assist
the Committee, a Technical Working Group, chaired by the DOLE, is hereby
created to conduct technical studies and researches and perform such work as
may be assigned to it by the Committee. The Committee shall also establish a
secretariat that will provide it administrative support.

The members of the Technical Working Group shall be
determined by the Committee and, together with the personnel of the
secretariat, shall be drawn from the existing staff of member institutions.

SEC. 5. Hiring of Experts. To ensure
the comprehensiveness of the study as called for in this Executive Order, the
Committee is authorized to hire the services of national or international
experts or consultants, and to seek, as necessary, technical and/or financial
assistance from relevant international organizations.

SEC. 6. Funding Support. To
finance the operations of the Committee, including the payment of fees of
experts and consultants, the members of the Committee shall appropriate the
necessary budget from their respective institutions, on the basis of proportionate
sharing.

SEC. 7. This Executive Order shall take
effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 6th day of September
in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.

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

By the
President:

(Sgd.) RUBEN
D. TORRES
Executive Secretary

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