Noy signs order organizing Cabinet clusters

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino signed Executive Order 43 that effectively organizes five clusters in the Cabinet, paving the way for efficiency, effectiveness and focus in the implementation of the programs and policies of the government.

The clusters, according to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., are divided as follows: Good Governance and Anti-Corruption; Human Development and Poverty Reduction; Economic Development; Security, Justice and Peace; and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.

Each cluster will be headed by a Cabinet member, with a line agency or office designated as secretariat. Cluster chairs may also require the participation of the heads of other departments or agencies, when necessary.

Ochoa and the Presidential Management Staff will attend all cluster meetings, with the Executive Secretary exercising supervision over the cluster system in the performance of his “general monitoring and oversight functions.”

The Good Governance and Anti-Corruption cluster is chaired by the President with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) serving as secretariat.

Its members are the secretaries of the Departments of Finance (DOF), the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Justice (DOJ); the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office; and the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.

The Human Development and Poverty Reduction cluster is led by the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development with the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) serving as secretariat and lead convenor.

The members are the chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), the secretaries of the Departments of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Agriculture (DA), Environment and National Resources (DENR), Education (DepEd), Health (DOH), Labor and Employment (DOLE), DILG, DBM, and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The secretary of the DOF leads the Economic Development cluster with NEDA as its secretariat.

The members include the secretaries of NEDA, DA, DBM, DILG and the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Energy (DOE); Science and Technology (DOST), and Tourism (DOT).

The Executive Secretary chairs the Security, Justice and Peace cluster with the National Security Council serving as secretariat.

Its members are the secretaries of DILG, Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Defense (DND), and DOJ; and the presidential adviser on the Peace Process.

The Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation cluster is chaired by the DENR secretary with the Climate Change Commission functioning as secretariat.

Its members are the HUDCC chair, the secretaries of DOST, DILG, DPWH, DSWD, DA, DAR, DOE, and DND; and the head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

“The President believes it is more productive and efficient to meet Cabinet secretaries on specific concerns rather than have officials join meetings on concerns that do not involve their portfolios,” Ochoa said in a statement.

According to him, members of the President’s official family also agreed that the cluster system is an effective and efficient way of carrying out the programs of the Chief Executive.