President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III has directed the mobilization of
government resources to ensure the smooth and orderly visit of His Holiness
Pope Francis in the Philippines on January 15 to 19, 2015.
In
Memorandum Circular No. 72, President Aquino ordered the creation of the Papal
Visit 2015-National Organizing Committee (PV-NOC) for the state visit of the
Roman Pontiff to coordinate all preparations for this occasion of great
significance to the Filipino people.
“As
instructed by President Aquino, all heads of the different government
departments, local governments as well as the private sectors are encouraged to
participate and coordinate all efforts to make sure that the visit of His
Holiness in our country next year will be well organized and peaceful,”
Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said on Friday.
The
PV-NOC will be chaired by the Executive Secretary and vice-chaired by the
Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Its members will
include the Secretaries of the Departments of National Defense (DND), the
Interior and Local Government (DILG), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Health
(DOH), Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Tourism (DOT), and the
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO); the Armed Forces Chief of
Staff, National Police Chief, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
(MMDA) Chairman.
The
PV-NOC is tasked to take up all government participation and responses in
connection with the visit of the Pope, and ensure efficient coordination among
public and private sectors, particularly with the Central Committee of the
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); peace and order; and the
traffic management plan for the transportation of persons and goods during the
event.
The
Central Committee of the CBCP is at the helm of managing and coordinating all
religious and civil plans and activities of the Papal Visit.
MC
No. 72 likewise called for the establishment of the two local Executive
Committees—EXECOM-Manila and EXECOM-Leyte—in the areas of engagement of His
Holiness Pope Francis. The EXECOMs will serve as the on-site full-time,
day-to-day operations arms of the PV-NOC.
The
EXECOM-Manila will be led by an Undersecretary in the Office of the Executive
Secretary (OES). Its members will include the Undersecretaries of the DFA,
DND, DILG, DPWH, DOH, DOTC, DOT, and PCOO; Chief of the Presidential Protocol
Office; representatives from the OP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),
the Philippine National Police (PNP), and MMDA; Manila International Airport
Authority (MIAA) General Manager; Presidential Security Group (PSG) Commander;
and head of the Radio-Television Malacañang.
The
EXECOM-Leyte, on the other hand, will be led by an Undersecretary in the OES
with members including the Regional Director of the PNP, Commander of the AFP
Central Command, Regional Directors of the DOTC and DPWH, PSG Security Task
Action Group Commander-Leyte, and a representative from the Radio-Television
Malacañang.
MC
No. 72 shall take effect immediately and until the conclusion of the Papal
Visit in January 2015.
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