President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued Executive Order No. 77, establishing the Inter-Agency Committee on International Humanitarian Law (IAC-IHL). The committee aims to ensure the Philippines adheres to global standards and rules protecting individuals who are not involved or are no longer engaged in armed conflicts.
Signed on November 22, the executive order highlights the Philippines’ existing laws, such as the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, and the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act.
The EO also aligns with a 2019 resolution from the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, urging nations to establish national committees to promote and implement international humanitarian law (IHL).
Composition of the IAC-IHL
The committee will be co-chaired by the heads of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Other member agencies include:
- Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
- Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
- Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
- Department of Health (DOH)
- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
- Philippine National Police (PNP)
- Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
- National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)
- Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
- Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity
- Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat
Duties and Responsibilities
The IAC-IHL will be tasked with:
- Promoting Compliance: Formulating and implementing programs to raise awareness of IHL and related international agreements.
- Coordination and Cooperation: Acting as the focal point for collaboration among government agencies, civil society, academic institutions, and international partners before, during, and after conflicts.
- Commemorating IHL Day: Overseeing activities related to the annual observance of International Humanitarian Law Day every August 12.
Funding for the committee will come from the current budgets of its member agencies.
This move underscores the Philippine government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s compliance with international humanitarian standards.