State Policy on Southern Cultural Communities
- Recognizes non-Muslim hilltribes and ethnolinguistic minorities.
- Promotes their rights, customs, traditions, and welfare.
- Ensures their active contribution to national unity and development.
Mandate and Objectives of OSCC
- Preserve and develop culture, traditions, institutions, and well-being.
- Align activities with national laws and unity.
Key Powers and Functions of OSCC
- Advise and assist President on policies affecting Southern Cultural Communities.
- Coordinate development programs, including settlement projects.
- Serve as the primary government agency for assistance.
- Custodian and administrator of settlements, public, and ancestral lands.
- Enter into contracts and accept grants/donations.
- Conduct research, establish ethnographic centers, and preserve cultural heritage.
- Certify membership for accessing benefits.
- Coordinate enforcement of ancestral land rights and customary laws.
- Manage property acquisition and disposition.
- Oversee natural resource exploitation permits affecting communities.
- Provide legal, medical, and health services in coordination with relevant departments.
- Support community education incorporating cultural values.
- Promote economic development through markets, trade fairs, and credit facilities.
- Mediate tribal disputes in accordance with customary laws.
- Propose legislation for protection and enhancement of community welfare.
Composition and Structure
- Executive Director and two Deputy Executive Directors appointed by the President.
- Organizational structure includes Administrative, Planning, Finance and Management, and Legal Services.
- Units include Economic Affairs, Cultural Affairs, and Tribal Relations and External Affairs.
Functions of Main Services
- Administrative Service: personnel, records, security, supplies, and equipment management.
- Planning Service: planning, monitoring, and project development.
- Finance and Management Service: budgetary and financial assistance.
- Legal Service: legal education, litigation support, customary law codification, and protection services.
Functions of Units
- Economic Affairs Unit: livelihood programs, environmental conservation, economic research, manpower training, medical feasibility studies, settlement management.
- Cultural Affairs Unit: cultural research, maintenance of cultural centers, information dissemination, literacy programs, scholarships, supervision of cultural preservation.
- Tribal Relations and External Affairs Unit: political liaison, program monitoring, inter-agency coordination, organizing tribal councils, public relations.
Regional and Field Operations
- Authorized to establish regional, field, sub-offices, and service centers.
- Regional offices manage implementation, coordination with government units, and service delivery.
Policy Coordination and Protections
- Must be consulted by government units when policies affect southern cultural communities.
- May recommend relief or remedies to the President if communities are prejudiced.
- Joint inspection with Bureau of Forest Development for natural resource permits in tribal areas.
Employment and Staffing Policies
- Appoint deserving community members preferentially, even without civil service eligibility.
- Prioritize qualified former employees of defunct bureaus.
- New staffing pattern to be approved within 120 days; separation benefits for displaced employees.
Administrative Supervision and Governance
- Executive Director possesses administrative control over personnel and assets.
- Consultative body including Deputy Executive Directors and community representatives may be created.
- Must perform periodic performance evaluations and report to the President.
Financial Provisions and Implementation
- Funding sourced from Office of Muslim Affairs and Cultural Communities budget.
- Executive Director empowered to issue necessary implementing rules and regulations.
Legal Provisions
- Existing contracts of predecessor agencies remain valid.
- Prohibition against any organizational change without Presidential approval.
- Separability clause protects validity if any provision is invalidated.
- Repeals inconsistent laws or regulations.
Effectivity
- The law took effect immediately upon approval on January 30, 1987.