Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 57)
The main objective of Executive Order No. 57 is to strengthen the Philippines' maritime security and maritime domain awareness to protect national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests in accordance with the Constitution and international law.
Maritime Domain refers to all areas and things of, on, under, relating to, adjacent to, or bordering on an ocean, sea, or other bodies of water, including all maritime related activities, infrastructure, people, cargo, vessels, and other conveyances. It includes the internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelves.
Maritime Security encompasses the protection and conservation of the country's marine assets, maritime practices, territorial integrity, and coastal peace and order. It includes military, socio-economic, environmental, and political concerns.
Maritime Domain Awareness is the effective understanding of anything associated with the maritime domain that could impact the sovereignty, sovereign rights, security, safety, economy, or environment of the country.
The National Coast Watch Council is renamed and reorganized as the National Maritime Council. It serves as the central policy-making body to ensure unified and coordinated governance for maritime security and domain awareness in the Philippines.
Members include the Executive Secretary (Chairperson), Secretaries of the Departments of National Defense, Agriculture, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Interior and Local Government, Justice, Transportation; the National Security Adviser; Solicitor General; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.
The Council formulates policies and strategies for maritime security, provides strategic direction for maritime operations, recommends policies to the President, adopts national maritime strategies, coordinates the National Maritime Security Policy and Strategy, harmonizes agency roles and resources, and creates committees or task forces as needed.
The POMC, formerly the NCWC Secretariat, provides consultative, research, administrative, and technical support to the National Maritime Council. It assists in drafting legislative and administrative issuances, supports task forces, coordinates implementation with the National Maritime Center, and performs tasks as instructed by the Council or President.
The National Maritime Center gathers and disseminates maritime security information, manages communication systems, coordinates maritime surveillance, monitors operations, facilitates cross-border maritime cooperation, supports prosecutions of violators, assesses maritime security, and develops maritime situational awareness.
Support agencies include the Philippine Coast Guard, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, DOJ-National Prosecution Service, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, Philippine Space Agency, and University of the Philippines - Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.
Yes, the National Maritime Center is authorized to accept donations, contributions, grants, bequests, or gifts from domestic or foreign sources for purposes relevant to its mandate, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations.
The NTF-WPS is attached to the National Maritime Council and receives policy guidance from it. It orchestrates and synchronizes employment of government agency capabilities to achieve unified action in the West Philippine Sea.
Initial funds are charged against current and available appropriations of concerned agencies per budgeting and auditing laws. Subsequent funding requirements must be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
If any part or provision is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
This Executive Order repeals EO No. 57 (s. 2011), amends relevant provisions of Memorandum Circular No. 94 (s. 2016), and repeals or modifies other inconsistent issuances, orders, rules, and regulations except Proclamation No. 72 (s. 2001).