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WHEREAS, the government recognizes that delivery of basic services should be a coordinated effort among government agencies and with the local communities;

WHEREAS, the government has been successful in the implementation of its Clear, Hold, Consolidate, and Develop Strategy, especially in insurgency-and-rebel-infested areas;

WHEREAS, the province of Basilan, with its vast potentials and natural resources, has been beset by man-made disasters hampering its growth and development;

WHEREAS, certain groups are deliberately exploiting the situation to provoke religious conflict and derail the peace process;

WHEREAS, there is a need to address problems in the province of Basilan, among which are poverty, lawlessness, and perceived injustice; and

WHEREAS, to enable the government to undertake measures to promote the accelerated socio-economic development of Basilan, there is a need to create a body that shall formulate and implement short-term and medium-term plans as well as address 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:

SECTION 1. CREATION OF THE INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE. There is hereby created an Inter-Agency Task Force for the integrated conduct of development and security/law enforcement operations to clear Basilan of lawless elements and facilitate the normalization of the peace and order condition and socio-economic development of the province.

SEC. 2. COMPOSITION. The Task Force shall be headed by the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government as Chairman, with the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways as Co-Chairman. Its members shall be composed of the Regional Development Council IX Chairman, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao, and representatives from the following agencies with rank of Director IV or higher:

(a) Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
(b) Department of Agrarian Reform;
(c) Department of Agriculture;
(d) Department of National Defense;
(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; and
(k) Department of Transportation and Communications.

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

The Inter-Agency Task force is hereby authorized to call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of government, including government-owned and -controlled corporations for such assistance as it may need in the discharge of its functions.

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

(a)	Implement a multi-agency approach under the umbrella of the Peace and Order Council to conduct police and security operations with the cooperation and support of the province’s legislators, local government executives, and religious and civic leaders, non-government organizations and people’s organizations;
(b)	Establish the parameters and provide the Terms of Reference for the development of the province of Basilan;
(c)	Adopt a process of maximum consultation with concerned local government units and agencies to ensure that their needs, concerns, and ideas are considered in the formulation of the parameters of the Terms of Reference;
(d)	Cause, oversee, and facilitate the formulation and implementation of an integrated security and development plan for the province of Basilan;
(e)	Formulate innovative schemes to provide opportunities for the private sector to prepare the development plan and implement projects within the province of Basilan;
(f)	Act as the interim central coordinating body and undertake issue-resolution on the development of the province of Basilan;
(g)	Assist to local government of Basilan in its various planning activities to develop short-term and long-term strategies for the socio-economic and physical development projects of the area;
(h)	Pool, manage, and coordinate government resources and immediately implement identified priority development projects in Basilan;
(i)	Submit regular accomplishment reports to the President; and
(j)	Perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the President.

SEC. 4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Task Force shall have an Executive Committee consisting of representatives from DILG (as Chairman), DPWH (as Co-Chairman), DA, DND, DAR, PIA, as members; and PA-Mindanao, COMSOUTHCOM, and an NGO representative as ex-officio members. The Executive Committee shall have the following functions, among others:

(a)	Oversee the conduct of police and security operations and the public information and communication plan;
(b)	Supervise the implementation of Task Force projects; and
(c)	Consolidate/integrate various Task Force projects and activities.

SEC. 5. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. The COMSOUTHCOM shall be the Task Force Executive Director who shall head the Secretariat and the Technical Support Staff group and have the following additional tasks/functions:

(a)	Manage the planning and implementation of operations, campaign plans, and projects on the ground;
(b)	Coordinate action on and approval of various national projects in Basilan; and
(c)	Oversee the implementation of Task Force plans and decisions.

The Task Force Executive Director shall be assisted by the Provincial Development Officer who shall be the Task Force Deputy Executive Director.

SEC. 6. SECRETARIAT SUPPORT. The Office of the Commander, AFP Southern Command, shall provide the technical and administrative support to the Inter-Agency Task Force. It shall be assisted by representatives from the member-agencies in fulfilling its functions.

SEC. 7. FUNDING. The initial amount of FIFTY MILLION PESOS (P50,000,000.00) shall be drawn from the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be incorporated in the budget proposals of the member/participating agencies.

SEC. 8. EFFECTIVITY. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 19th day of July, 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