CREATING A TASK FORCE ON INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, in accordance with
simple humanity the Filipino people and their government are ready to render
assistance in the processing of refugees specially from Vietnam;

WHEREAS, as a responsible member
of the United Nations, this country has supported UN efforts to assist refugees
provided such support is consistent with international law and practice and the
Philippines’ national laws and interests;

WHEREAS, the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees has sought the cooperation of the Philippine government
in the temporary lodging of such refugees prior to their final resettlement in
other countries and the Philippines has agreed to set up such a processing
center provided that costs shall not be borne by the Philippines and there will
be no residual refugees left in such processing center;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND, E.
MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by
law, and in order to effect the needed assistance to refugees reaching the
Philippines, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. It is hereby declared
that for the purpose of complying with the Philippines’ duty to humanity and
its commitment to assist legitimate projects and programs of the United
Nations, the Philippines should create and activate a group that will respond
to the request of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

SECTION 2. To achieve the above,
there is hereby created a Task Force on Refugee Assistance and Administration
under the Ministry of Human Settlements.

a. The Task Force shall be
composed of the Minister of Human Settlements as Chairman and the following as
members:

(1) Minister of Foreign Affairs
(2) Minister of National Defense
(3) Minister of Public Works
(4) Minister of Public Highways
(5) Minister of Local Government and Community Development
(6) Minister of Natural Resources
(7) Minister of Health
(8) Minister of Agriculture
(9) Minister of Education and Culture
(10) Minister of Transportation and Communications
(11) Acting Minister of Social Services and Development

b. The Task Force shall be
assisted by a Secretariat to be headed by the Deputy Minister of Human
Settlements with the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Flag Officer in Command
of the Philippine Navy and the General Manager of the National Housing
Authority as members.

c. The Minister-Members may
designate their respective representatives to the Task Force provided the
designated representatives are empowered to decide and/or act on their
Ministers’ behalf.

d. The specific functions,
duties and powers of the Task Force are as follows:

(1) To establish, build and
administer such refugee processing centers and camps as have been chosen by the
President.

(2) To coordinate and cooperate
with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees efforts and activities of
the Philippine government relative to assistance to refugees and operation and
management of the refugee centers and camps established in the Philippines.

(3) To receive, administer and
utilize funds, equipment and other forms of assistance provided by the UNHCR,
friendly countries and institutions and other international refugee-assistance
institutions in the Philippines’ program for refugee assistance and management.

(4) To integrate and supervise a
working staff that will undertake the Philippines’ program for refugee
assistance and management; provided that as much as possible, the participating
agencies shall contribute manpower, material and fiscal resources needed to
support the working staff.

(5) To call upon any department,
ministry, bureau, office or agency or instrumentality of the government for
such assistance as it may require in the performance of its duties and
functions.

(6) To submit periodic reports
to the Philippine government and to the United Nations, through the President,
on its activities; including the disposition of funds and other assistance received
from the United Nations and other international refugee – assistance
institutions.

SECTION 3. The Chairman of the
Task Force shall –

(a) preside over meetings of the
Task Force;

(b) receive gifts or donations
in whatever form and from whatever source;

(c) administer, obligate, and
disburse appropriations, gifts, or donations upon approval by the members of
the Task Force; and

(d) hire and maintain such
working group, staff or personal as may be necessary to carry out the purposes
and objectives of the Task Force.

SECTION 4. The Chairman of the
Task Force may constitute continuing ad hoc committee consisting of the members
of the Task Force and such other experts as are necessary to assist the Task
Force in the discharge of its functions.

SECTION 5. As initial steps to
immediately get the Task Force operational:

(1) Tara Island and Ulugan Bay
in the province of Palawan are hereby designated as refugee processing centers
and camps.

(2)  The General Manager of
the National Housing Authority, an attached agency of the Ministry of Human
Settlements, is hereby designated project coordinator for the immediate
establishment, construction and operation of the said refugee camps.

(3) The Flag Officer in Command
of the Philippine Navy is hereby directed to assist the Task Force by providing
ferry service for materials, men and equipment needed to construct and operate
the refugee camps.

(4) The Deputy Minister of
Public Works is hereby designated in charge of the construction of the refugee
camps in Palawan.

SECTION 6. This Executive Order
shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this
21st day of August in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-nine.

By the President:

(SGD.) JACOBO C. CLAVE
Presidential Executive Assistant