Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 163)
The main purpose of Executive Order No. 163 is to institutionalize access to protection services for refugees, stateless persons, and asylum seekers in the Philippines, ensuring that their rights are safeguarded and that they receive appropriate support in accordance with international conventions and domestic laws.
It recognizes and implements the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, the 1954 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
Commonwealth Act No. 613, or the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, recognizes the admission of immigrants without nationality and grants the President the power to admit refugees for humanitarian reasons when their admission is not opposed to public interest.
The RSPPU, under the Department of Justice, is tasked with examining and processing claims to refugee or stateless status, identifying such persons, and providing them protection as mandated by law.
The Committee is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Justice and includes heads or representatives of various government agencies including the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Foreign Affairs, Education, Labor and Employment, Health, Trade and Industry, Interior and Local Government, and other relevant public offices and authorities.
The Committee ensures policy consistency, improves access of persons of concern (POCs) to services, issues guidelines on data sharing and confidentiality, establishes coordination systems, cooperates with international bodies, conducts trainings, and creates working groups to address specific concerns related to POCs.
Non-refoulement is a principle of customary international law that prohibits the expulsion or return of refugees to territories where their life or freedom would be threatened due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
The rights include access to socioeconomic services, social security benefits, gainful employment and humane working conditions, education, participation in judicial and administrative proceedings, legal assistance, access to courts, and freedom of religion.
LGUs are encouraged to support the integration of persons of concern within their communities by conducting awareness campaigns and making programs and services available to facilitate integration into local development frameworks including emergency response and recovery.
The Executive Order mandates the confidentiality of information acquired in fulfilling protection mandates, including asylum claims, subject to national security interests and issued rules, ensuring respect for privacy at all stages of determination of status.