MALACAANG

MANILA
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 217
CREATING THE NATIONAL TASK FORCE DIWALWAL
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2, Article XII of the Philippine Constitution, all minerals and other
natural resources are owned by the State and that the exploration, development, and utilization of natural
resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State
WHEREAS, an area of particular concern for the !overnment is the "iwalwal #ineral $eservation
area in #on%ayo, Province of Compostela &alley, where activities of thousands of informal miners,
conductin! operations without the re'uired permits from the "()$ and the #ines and *eosciences +ureau
for many years, have resulted in massive ecolo!ical de!radation of the area and its immediate environs
WHEREAS, the "()$ has issued "epartment Administrative ,rder -"A,. )o/ 2002123 last Au!ust
22, 2002 declarin! an (mer!ency Situation in the "iwalwal *old $ush Area ordered the stoppa!e of all
minin! operations therein and provided for interim *uidelines to address the critical environmental and
social conse'uences resultin! therefrom
WHEREAS, the ,ffice of the President had in the meantime issued Proclamation )o/ 245 last
)ovember 26, 2002 excludin! an area consistin! of 3, 200 hectares to exclude the "iwalwal minin! areas
and the #abatas area from the covera!e of Proclamation )o/ 784 dated 9ebruary 25, 2472 declarin! the
same as #ineral $eservation and an (nvironmentally Critical Area and providin! that minin! operations
in that #ineral $eservation may be underta%en either by the "()$ directly or throu!h a 'ualified
contractor
WHEREAS, despite the direct intervention in the minin! activities at "iwalwal by the "()$ and the
)$"C, the critical environmental and socio1economic concerns had not been sufficiently addressed and the
related problems continue to fester
WHEREAS, the CPPA:)PA had turned "iwalwal into its main source of funds runnin! into millions
of pesos annually to finance its insur!ency activities nationwide, thus creatin! serious internal security
concerns

WHEREAS, the ur!ent need to formulate specifically focused policies and coordinate the
implementation of measures thereof by all concerned !overnment a!encies to address all vital concerns of
the !overnment and rationalizin! all minin! activities in the area has attained extreme ur!ency

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the $epublic of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order;
Se!"#$ 1. Creation of National Task Force (NTF) Diwalwal. )ational <as% 9orce -)<9. "iwalwal is
hereby constituted to be composed of the followin!;
Secretary of )ational "efense =ead
Secretary of (nvironment and )atural
$esources
Asst/ =ead
Secretary of Social >elfare and "evt/ #ember
Secretary of =ealth #ember
Secretary of ?abor and (mployment #ember
Secretary of @ustice #ember
Secretary of the Interior and ?ocal
*overnment
#ember
"irector *eneral, )ational (conomic
and "evelopment Authority
#ember
Press Secretary #ember
Presidential Adviser on #edia Affairs #ember
Solicitor *eneral #ember
Commissioner, +ureau of Internal
$evenue
#ember
SEC. 2. Functions and Responsibilities of the NTF Diwalwal. <he )<9 "iwalwal shall;
a/ 9ormulate a comprehensive plan of action in order to create an environment conducive to lastin! peace
and sustainable peace and sustainable development in "iwalwal and its environs
b/ $ecommend policies and pro!rams recommendations to ensure the coordination, inte!ration, and
acceleration of !overnment efforts and enhance the effective and immediate implementation of
!overnmentAs plan of action in "iwalwal
c/ "evelop and implement a Public Information pro!ram to !enerate awareness on the situation amon!
tar!et audiences that would enhance public confidence on efforts of !overnment in "iwalwal/
d/ Provide a mechanism for the immediate and ade'uate resolution of all issues and concerns affectin! the
rehabilitation and development of "iwalwal and
e/ #onitor and evaluate the implementation of various pro!rams and proBects by individual departments
and a!encies/
SEC. %. The National Task Force (NTF) Diwalwal Instrumentalities.
a/ <he )<9 "iwalwal shall have "irectorates headed by undersecretaries:deputy heads of concerned
department:a!encies to address the followin! concerns;
2. Peace C ,rder and Security
2. Socio1(conomic Safety )ets
7. ?e!al
D. Political
6. Information
8. #inin! and (nvironment
b/ An Intera!ency <echnical >or%in! *roup -IA<>*. shall be or!anized to provide technical assistance to
the )<9 "iwalwal/
c/ <he ,peration Center -,PC()./ <he ,PC() of )<9 "iwalwal, shall provide operational,
administrative, and secretariat support to the )<9 "iwalwal/
SEC. &. Proram !onitorin and Coordination Center (P!CC) Diwalwal. At the local level, the )<9
"iwalwal shall or!anize the Pro!ram #onitorin! and Coordination Center -P#CC. "iwalwal to be located
in "avao City/ <he P#CC shall be composed of <as% *roups to handle the followin! concerns;
a/ Internal Security
b/ Socio1(conomic Safety )ets
c/ Information
d/ #inin! and (nvironment
e/ Political -Peace and ,rder.
SEC. '. Functions of the Proram !onitorin and Coordination Center (P!CC) Diwalwal. <he
Pro!ram #onitorin! and Coordination Center -P#CC. "iwalwal shall;
a/ As directed by the )<9 "iwalwal, ensure the effective and efficient implementation of !overnment
pro!rams and proBects in "iwalwal
b/ Serve as a point of contact between and amon! concerned !overnment offices and a!encies to
coordinate, inte!rate, and accelerate overall !overnment response in "iwalwal
c/ Provide a communication facility on a twenty1four -2D. hour basis
d/ Enderta%e monitorin! functions for the )<9 "iwalwal at the local level and
e/ "irect a timely, coordinated, and inte!rated response to local issues and concerns in "iwalwal/
SEC. (. "taff Complement. #embers departments:a!encies shall provide for the staff complement of
the )<9 "iwalwal and its instrumentalities as well as the P#CC "iwalwal throu!h the detail and
secondment of military and civilian personnel/
SEC. 7. Institutional Relationships and #inkaes. At the national level, the )<9 "iwalwal shall
interface with the Cabinet ,versi!ht Committee on Internal Security -C,C1IS./ At the local level, the
P#CC "iwalwal shall wor% in close coordination with existin! local Area Coordination Centers and
interface with all re!ional and local bodies created to implement peace and order, security, and
development efforts in "iwalwal and its environs, such as the Peace and ,rder Council and the
"evelopment Council/ <he P#CC "iwalwal shall li%ewise conduct continuin! consultation with local
!overnment officials to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of !overnment pro!rams and
proBects in "iwalwal/
SEC. ). Fundin. <he )<9 "iwalwal shall submit to the "epartment of +ud!et and #ana!ement
-"+#. a wor% pro!ram and its correspondin! bud!et that shall defray the vast activities to be implemented
by )<9 "iwalwal pursuant to this (xecutive ,rder/
<he "+# shall then recommend to the President the necessary amount to fund said activities/
SEC. *. Implementin Rules and Reulations. <he )<9 "iwalwal is hereby empowered to issue the
necessary rules and re!ulations and other !uidelines to implement this ,rder/
SEC. 1+. $%istence. <he <as% 9orce shall cease to exist after the situation in "iwalwal and its environs
has normalized, upon the recommendation of ")" and "()$/
SEC. 11. Repeal. All orders and issuances, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this
(xecutive ,rder are hereby repealed or modified accordin!ly/
SEC. 12. $ffecti&it'. <his ,rder shall ta%e effect immediately upon approval/
DONE, in the City of #anila this 22
th
of @une, in the year of ,ur ?ord, <wo <housand and <hree/
-S!d./ GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
+y the President;
-S!d/. AL,ERTO G. ROMULO
(xecutive Secretary