The Office of the President issued Executive Order No. 09 reinstating the Cabinet Assistance System (CAS) which shall be responsible for handling priority areas or subjects that require special and immediate attention as identified and recommended by the Department Secretaries.

During the 35th CAS meeting, it was recommended and proposed that the Cabinet Meetings will be held outside Metro Manila. To facilitate the regional discussions, the NEDA and DILG were tasked to identify strategic and priority local issues for discussions of the CAS and for eventual elevations to the Cabinet.

On March 21, 2019, the Regional Development Council (RDC) XII and Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) XII conducted its 1st Joint Meeting at Paraiso Verde Hotel, City of Koronadal.

The meeting was presided by Hon. Ronnel C. Rivera, City Mayor of General Santos City and Chairperson of the RDC XII.  The meeting was attended by the RPOC XII Vice Chairperson, P/BGen. Eliseo Tam Rasco of PNP XII , RPOC Head Secretariat, RD Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, CESO V of DILG XII, RDC XII Vice Chairperson, RD Teresita Socorro C. Ramos of NEDA XII, 3 Provincial Governors, Hon. Daisy Avance-Fuentes of South Cotabato, Hon. Steve C. Solon of Sarangani and Hon. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza of Cotabato Province and the majority of the regular members from both councils.

During the said meeting, Mr. Tanghal of NEDA XII presented the Region XII CY 2018 Socio-Economic Report while the Peace and Order updates were presented by  PLTC Jemuel F. Siason of PNP-PRO XII, Maj. Rico Lapura, Jr of 6th ID and Capt. McGary T. Dida of 10th ID.

The Strategic and Priority local issues submitted by the Regional Line Agencies (RLAs) and Local Government Units (LGUs) were also presented by RD Ramos of NEDA and RD Cabrido-Leysa of DILG XII, respectively.

Among the issues identified and presented to the body were:

1. Land Conflicts from awarding of CADT or Issuance of Certificate of no-overlap and selling of CADT;
2. Political Intervention on IP Political Systems;
3. Non compliance to FPIC (Free prior and informed consent) - national government agencies oftentimes failed to secure FPIC from IP groups;
4. Absence of Social Reintegration Program for BIFF surrenderers;
5. Regulation of Masjids and Madrasas as a way of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE);
6. Sustainability of assistance (Financial/ Livelihood/ Skills Training) to PWUD
7. Suspension of issuance of survey authority, acceptance and processing of all public land applications and issuance of patents over lands located in the Provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani;
8. Illegal entry of aliens, Deceptive assumption of Filipino Identity; and
9. NPA harassment and destruction of government projects/contractors’ equipment

After thorough discussions on the issues presented, the following are the actions requested from CAS through the following NGAs:

1. NCIP/DENR/OP

• Expedite the issuance of CADT to IP communities particularly the Certificate of Non-Overlap from DENR;
• Replication of the concept on the (Limulan-Hinalaan) CADT council at the higher level to sustain the initiative at the municipal level

1. OP/NCIP/LEAGUES(LGUs)/ DENR/ DAR

• Promote autonomy of IP Political System by strengthening the mandate of the NCIP
• Require all government agency to follow/comply FPIC (Free prior and informed Consent)

1. NCIP/DepED/AFP

• To support the following RPOC Resolution:
  • RPOC Res. No. 2018-30 re “ A resolution strongly urging the DepED to deny the granting of the License to Operate or approval of Permit to Operate (PTO) to MISFI/CLANS Schools who do not comply with the prescribed curriculum or instead teaching communist or other ideologies” and
  • RPOC Res. No. 2018-31 re “ A Resolution strongly urging the order of closure of the MISFI/CLANS Schools currently operating particularly those with disposed/denied application of DepEd”.)

1. DILG/OMA/DND

• Legislation of an E-CLIP/ Social Reintegration and Deradicalization Programs for Southern Philippines Secessionist Group (SPSG) surrenderers

1. CHED/DEPED/OMA

• Legislation on the Regulation of Masjids and Madrasas as a way of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE)
• Creation of similar Institution/ Universities to replicate the Malaysian and Singaporean model

1. TESDA, DOLE, DTI, LGU (P/C/M/B), DILG

• Issue specific guidelines for integrated program implementation approach for  Financial/ Livelihood/ Skills Training assistance to Persons Who Used Drugs (PWUD)
• Lifting of suspension on issuance of title for government-claimed properties

1. CABINET/JOINT RDC-RPOC

• Support for the following RDC XII Resolutions:
  • RDC XII Resolution No. 146, series of 2018 “Enjoining all Border Control Law Enforcement Units to Strengthen the Security of SOCCSKSARGEN Ports of Entry and Exit, as well as the Surrounding Territorial Waters Located Therein by Reinforcing its Presence to Combat the Entry of International Terrorists and Other Transnational Criminals”;
  • RDC XII Resolution No. 147, series of 2018 “Requesting President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to Certify as Urgent the Passage of a New Philippine Immigration Law Pending before the 17th Congress”; and
  • RDC XII Resolution No. 148, series of 2018 “Requesting the Conduct of Thorough Investigation on the Granting of Government-issued IDs to Illegal Aliens by Various Government Entities”.

1. OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

• Issue a Directive (e.g. Executive Order or Administrative Order) to all Government Agencies or Private Contractors Implementing Government Projects  to Display or Post Stickers/Tarpaulins which States: “This is a CARHRIHL-Protected Project” On Their Equipment, Facilities And Project Site.

1. CABINET THROUGH THE SECRETARIES OF DND, DPWH, DILG

• Institutionalize the Security Partnership between AFP and the National-Level Private Contractors / Contractors’ Association on Levelling-Up or Conduct of Advance Training for the SCAA under the Supervision of the AFP in the entire country; and
• Issuance of DND-DPWH-DILG Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC):  to guide local level security partnership and provide for corresponding fund support between AFP/PA Divisions/Brigades/Batallions, DPWH Regional/District Offices, Provincial/ City/Municipal LGUs - Regional/Local Contractors’ Association

In conclusion, the body unanimously approved the passage of a Joint RDC-RPOC XII Resolution endorsing the abovementioned local priority issues to the Office of the Cabinet through the CAS