Administrative Order No. 370

SECTION 1. An inter-agency Coordinating Committee on Human Rights (CCHR) is hereby created, the members of which shall come from the following government offices as may be designated by their respective heads: 1. Department of Foreign Affairs – Chairman 2. Department of Justice – Member 3. Department of Interior and Local Government – Member 4. Department of National Defense – Member 5. Department of Labor and Employment – Member 6. Department of Social Welfare and Development – Member 7. Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Member 8. Department of Agrarian Reform – Member 9. Department of Education, Culture and Sports – Member 10. Commission on Higher Education – Member 11. Department of Health – Member 12. National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women – Member 13. National Commission for Indigenous Peoples – Member 14. Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor – Member 15. Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council – Member 16. National Housing Authority – Member The Committee shall closely coordinate with the Commission on Human Rights and shall call upon the attached bureaus and agencies of the Committee members, and any other government offices, agencies and bureaus as it may deem necessary in the fulfillment of its functions.

SEC. 2. The CCHR shall have the following functions: (a) respond to urgent requests for information from UN human rights bodies, domestic and international non-government organizations and private individuals concerning human rights violations allegedly perpetrated upon individuals or groups in the country; and (b) prepare the Philippine periodic reports which are submitted to UN human rights bodies in accordance with international human rights covenants and, after consultations with non-government organizations, sectoral groups and other private sector institutions, to submit these reports in time for the treaty-required due dates,

SEC. 3. To accomplish these functions, the Committee shall be divided into two working groups, which shall be constituted as follows: (a) Working Group on Civil and Political Rights Department of Foreign Affairs – Chairman Department of Justice – Member Department of Interior & Local Government – Member Department of National Defense – Member (b) Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Department of Foreign Affairs – Chairman Department of Labor and Employment – Member Department of Social Welfare and Development – Member Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Member Department of Agrarian Reform – Member Commission on Higher Education – Member Department of Health – Member National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women – Member National Commission for Indigenous Peoples – Member Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor – Member Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council – Member National Housing Authority – Member The Working Groups may call on other concerned departments and agencies as may be necessary in the performance of its functions.

SEC. 4. The Committee and the Working Groups shall formulate the Implementing Guidelines necessary to carry out its mandate and functions.

SEC. 5. An initial amount of Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000) is hereby authorized to be set aside and made available from the lump-sum Organizational Adjustment Fund for 1998 for the operating expenses of the Committee during the first fiscal year of its establishment. Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be incorporated in the budget proposal of the participating agencies. Administrative expenses of the Committee shall be incorporated in the DFA appropriations subject to the usual budget process.

SEC. 6. All concerned government agencies, whether Committee members or not, are hereby enjoined to extend full support and cooperation and to make available such materials, data and other resources as may be necessary to ensure the successful implementation of this Order. In view of the sensitive issues involving human rights that it covers, the Social Reform Council (SRC) is directed to coordinate with the Committee, and the Committee, in turn, is directed to collaborate with the SRC, on matters of mutual concern to facilitate the formulation of a comprehensive, consistent and well-coordinated Philippine position on human right issues.

This Order shall take effect immediately

SEC. 7. This Order shall take effect immediately. Any previous Presidential issuance which is inconsistent with this Order is hereby revoked or amended accordingly. DONE in the City of Manila, this 10 th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven. (Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS President of the Philippines By the President: (Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES Executive Secretary