Friday, July 11, 2008 Arroyo includes Isafp in Energy Contingency TF
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday ordered the inclusion of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) in the reorganized Energy Contingency Task Force (ECTF).
Arroyo said the task force placed under the National Food and Energy Council is the former Energy Operations Board (EOB).
Aside from the Isafp, the task force also includes as members the secretaries of trade, budget, science and technology and social welfare departments; the director generals of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA); and the chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).
The executive secretary shall head the task force while the energy secretary would act as the operations officer.
"The task force shall be responsible for formulating plans and policies and ensuring their implementation to address the impact of the rising cost of oil on the majority of the people," Arroyo said.
She added that the inclusion of the Isafp in the task force is important as it is tasked to alert the government and provide it with "timely intelligence assessment of political and security developments" that are related to oil price issues.
EO 731 added that the Isafp shall also "provide advice on matters affecting national security."
Among the members of the task force, the Executive Secretary shall provide overall leadership and oversight in the formulation and implementation of plans and policies of the task force.
The Energy Secretary will be its chief operating officer. He shall provide secretariat and administrative support of the task force and oversee the monitoring of oil prices and implementation of energy efficiency, conservation and other mitigating measures.
The science secretary assists the Department of Energy (DOE) in the implementation and adoption of energy saving measures.
The Neda shall also assist the DOE in projecting oil price levels and formulate mitigation plans and policies of the task force.
The PIA on the other hand will ensure its information dissemination including the advocacy campaign of the task force.
The trade secretary is tapped to monitor the impact of oil prices on commodities while the social welfare secretary shall identify and facilitate the distribution of the one-time P500 lifeline subsidy.
The Ched chairman shall oversee the "Katas ng Value-Added Tax (VAT), Pantawid Edukasyon" program and its distribution through scholarships and student loans while the budget department would ensure oversee the budgetary allocation for the projects of the task force especially coming from VAT and Malamapaya royalties. (JMR/Sunnex)
