MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Memorandum Order No. 697, July 5, 1980 ]

INSTITUTING A REHABILITATION PROGRAM FOR MORO NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT AND OTHER ALLIED GROUPS/INDIVIDUALS NOW WORKING/COOPERATING WITH ALL GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS, through the Government’s intensified and sincere efforts in bringing peace and order to Southern Philippines, numerous leaders and members of the Moro National Liberation Front and other allied groups have returned to the folds of the law;

WHEREAS, it is the Government’s desire to integrate these former dissidents into our society as participants in its socio-economic and political development program of the country;

WHEREAS, to ensure their active and meaningful involvement in nation building there is a need to acknowledge, utilize and channel their skills, potentials and abilities in constructive and fruitful endeavors and ventures; and

WHEREAS, to achieve maximum beneficial results, there is a need to institute a comprehensive and integrated rehabilitation program;

NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby ordered that the following rehabilitation program and machinery be instituted for returning leaders and members of the Moro National Liberation Front and other allied groups or individuals.

1. Presidential Committee. A Presidential Committee is hereby created to be composed as follows:

a. Minister of Human Settlements Chairman
b. Deputy Minister of National Defense for Civilian Relations Member
c. Chairman, Lupong Tagapagpaganap ng Pook, Region 12 Member
d. Chairman, Lupong Tagapagpaganap ng Pook, Region XII Member
e. Commissioner of Islamic Affairs Member
f. Administrator, Southern-Philippines Development Administration Member

 2. Duties, Functions and Powers of the Committee. The Presidential Committee shall have and perform the following duties, functions and powers:

a. Formulate, adopt and implement comprehensive and integrated rehabilitation program for the returnees;

b. Direct, supervise, orchestrate, coordinate and monitor all the Government efforts, programs, project and activities for the returnees.

c. Create and organize regional Committee to implement and carry out the.programs covered by this Order.

d. Promulgate the Rules and Regulations to implement this Order.

3. Participation of Ministries and Agencies. The following Ministries and agencies are hereby directed to support the activities indicated. They shall initially utilize their programmed resources for the year 1960 and shall include in their respective budgets, the necessary fund requirements for the succeeding years.

a. Ministry of Social Services and Development Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation; Food for Work; Transportation Assistance
b. Ministry of Public Works  School Buildings; Irrigation and Flood Control
c. Ministry of Local Gov’t & Community Development Barangay Roads, Talipapa Multipurpose Building Youth & Sports Gov’t
d. Ministry of Natural Resources  Allocation of Public Lands for Fishponds & Agricultural Purposes to include tree farming
e. Ministry of Education and Culture  Work Study Grants and Non—Formal Education; School Equipment and Materials
f. Ministry of Agriculture  Organization of Cooperatives and Provision for Farm Implements and Agricultural Inputs
g. Ministry of Industry  Small Business Enterprises Cottage Industries
h. Ministry of Labor and Employment  Manpower Training and Employment
i. Ministry of Agrarian Reform  Settlements; Tractor Pools and Compact Farms
j. Ministry of National Defense  Processing and Local Security Training and Organization
k. Ministry of Health  Medical Services and Rural Health Facilities
l. Ministry of Energy Power and Fuel Services
m.  Ministry of Human Settlements  BLISS Housing and Community Development
n. Ministry of the Budget  Special Funding
o. Ministry of Trade  Marketing and Trade Assistance
p. Ministry of Public Information/NMPG  Public Information and Education; Special Services
q. Ministry of Public Highways Roads/Bridges and Related Infrastructures
r. Ministry of Youth and Sports Development  Youth and Sports Activities
s. Southern Philippines Development Administration  Livelihood Projects and Corporate Ventures
t. National Grains Authority/ Food Terminal Inc.  Food for Work and Emergency Food Supply
u. National Electrification/ Rural Waterworks Dev’t Corp .  Rural Electrification and Rural Waterworks
v. Banks and Lending Institutions, vizDevelopment Bank of the Philippines
Land Bank of the Philippines
Philippine Amanah Bank
Philippine National Bank
Government Service Insurance System
Social Security System
Philippine Veterans Bank
 Loans/Financial Assistances
w. State Universities in Southern Philippines  Scholarship and Non-formal Education

4. Policy of .attraction and Processing – The Ministry of National Defense shall continue the pacification and reconciliation campaign, the processing of the returnees and other MNLF’s who had pledged to work with government programs and the development, organization and training of local security units (CHDF) from among those qualified.

5. Support and Participation of other Ministries and Agencies. The Committee is hereby authorized to call on all other ministries, bureaus, offices, agencies, including government-owned and/or controlled corporations and local government units for support and participation by utilizing their programmed resources for the rehabilitation program covered by this Order.

6. Funds. – A special fund in the amount of ₱25,000,000.00 is hereby made available from the Special Funds of the President for the rehabilitation and development programs and projects hereby instituted.

The Minister of the Budget is hereby directed to immediately release the funds hereby appropriated.

The Special Fund shall be administered by the Ministry of Human Settlements through the Southern Philippines Development Administration.1aшphi1

a. Program Director – Minister of Human Settlements

b. Program Administrator – Administrator, SPDA

 7. All Memorandum Orders, Letters of Instructions, Executive Orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

This Order takes effect immediately.

(SGD.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines

Manila, July 5, 1980


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