WHEREAS, there is a need for different government efforts, i.e., peace, security and development, in dealing with internal armed conflict with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to be pursued simultaneously in a coordinated and integrated fashion;

WHEREAS, the conflicts in Central Mindanao revolve around the atrocities perpetrated by three lawless MILF renegades known as Commanders Kato, Bravo and Pagalian and military pursuit to bring said MILF renegades;

WHEREAS, the different key government agencies operating in Central Mindanao can benefit greatly from increased coordination and cooperation.

WHEREAS, the structure of such coordination and cooperation can be patterned after the Health, Education, Livelihood Progress (HELP) for Basilan and Sulu Program.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by the powers vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the land, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Health, Education, Livelihood, Progress Task Force-Central Mindanao (HELP-CM). — The HELP-CM is hereby formed and shall be composed of the following:

1. The Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (PAPP)
2. The Presidential Adviser for Mindanao
3. The Chairman, Government Peace Negotiating Panel with the MILF (GPNP-MILF)
4. The Regional Governor, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
5. The Provincial Governor of Maguindanao LibLex
6. The Provincial Governor of North Cotabato
7. The Provincial Governor of Sultan Kudarat
8. The Executive Officer, National Disaster Coordinating Council
9. The Region XII Director, Department of Social Welfare and Development
10. The Eastern Mindanao Commander, Armed Forces of the Philippines
11. The 6th Infantry Division Commander, Philippine Army
12.  The Director, ARMM, Philippine National Police (PNP)

The HELP-CM Task Force shall be convened by the PAPP. Its Executive Officer shall be the Chairman, GPNP-MILF.

SECTION 2. Core Mandate. — The HELP-CM Task Force shall be the mechanism for convergence, i.e., enhanced cooperation, coordination, policy consistency, adoption of a common framework, information sharing and problem-solving activities, of the different agencies in the MILF-related conflict-affected areas in Central Mindanao, to achieve the following goals:

1. Forging a peaceful, negotiated final political settlement with the MILF, including the effective implementation of ceasefire, development and monitoring agreements;
   
   
2. Addressing the concerns arising from continued armed hostilities, the protection and civilian communities and non-combatants, especially from lawless MILF renegades;
   
   
3. Reducing the impact of the conflict on the communities in the conflict-affected areas, especially the internally displaced persons (IDPs);
   
   
4. Pursuing “humanitarian offensives” to address the root causes of conflict, i.e., poverty and exclusion from access to education, employment and livelihood.

SECTION 3. Technical Support. — The GPNP-MILF Secretariat shall serve as the Secretariat for the HELP-CM Task Force and shall provide the necessary technical and administrative support. It shall also serve as the repository of all documents and records of the HELP-CM Task Force.

The HELP-CM Task Force may tap the assistance of, and may call upon, representatives of any government agency, government-owned and controlled corporation, civil society organization, international aid agency and other entities to assist in the performance of its mandate.

SECTION 4. Funding. — The Department of Budget and Management is hereby directed to release, through the GPNP-MILF, the amount of Ten Million Pesos (P10,000,000) from the Contingent Fund to cover operational and project expenses of the HELP-CM Task Force.

SECTION 5. Effectivity. — This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 29th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.


By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary