MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has issued an executive order reorganizing the Inter-agency Task Force on Zero Hunger, as millions of Filipino families continued to experience not having anything to eat during the first quarter of the year.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin signed Executive Order 27 for the President on May 18, amending EO 101 issued by the past administration in January 2020.
Under the new order, Marcos designated the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as the task force’s chairperson. The executive director of the National Nutrition Council and the secretary of the Department of Agriculture will serve as co-chairperson and vice chairperson, respectively.
The Secretary to the Cabinet previously headed the task force.
Marcos’ EO 1 abolished the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat (OCS) and transferred its functions to the Presidential Management Staff.
“In view of the abolition of the OCS, there is a need to amend EO 101,” the order stated.
Marcos concurrently serves as secretary of agriculture.
EO 27 said the task force’s members include the secretaries of the Departments of Agrarian Reform; Budget and Management; Education; Environment and Natural Resources; Labor and Employment; Trade and Industry; Science and Technology; National Economic and Development Authority; Commission on Higher Education, and a representative from the Office of the President.
The Interagency Task Force on Zero Hunger was created “to ensure that government policies, initiatives and projects on attaining zero hunger shall be coordinated, responsive, and effective.”
“Except as expressly modified by this order, all other provisions of EO No. 101 shall remain in full force and effect,” EO 27 read.
“All orders, rules, regulations and issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly,” it said.