MALACAÃAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 72
DIRECTING THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
WHEREAS, the Philippines will host the state visit of His Holiness Pope Francis on 15 to 19 January of 2015; and
WHEREAS, the massive scale of the visit is anticipated given the profound and great significance of the visit to the Filipino people, and to all those who will be gathering from all over the country to take part in this celebration.
NOW, THEREFORE, there is hereby created The Papal Visit 2015 National Organizing Committee (PV-NOC).
The PV-NOC shall be composed of the following:
Chairperson:
Executive Secretary
Vice-Chair:
Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs
Members:
Secretary, Department of National Defense
Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government
Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways
Secretary, Department of Health
Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications
Secretary, Department of Tourism
Secretary, Presidential Communications Operations Office
Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines
Chief, Philippine National Police
Chairman, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
The PV-NOC Chairperson shall take charge of all government participation and responses in connection with the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis, to (a) ensure smooth coordination among public and private sectors, particularly with the Central Committee of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines, which is tasked to manage and coordinate all plans and activities, religious and civil, of the Papal Visit; (b) maintain peace and order, and safeguard participants, and (c) prepare a traffic management plan for the efficient and smooth transport of persons and goods during the visit.
The PV-NOC Chairperson may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, local government units, non-government organizations, and the private sector for assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require.
Two local Executive Committees, hereinafter referred to as the EXECOM-Manila and EXECOM-Leyte, shall be established in places of engagement of His Holiness to serve as the full time, day-to-day operations arm of the PV-NOC on-site to ensure that the programs and activities to be undertaken in preparation for and during the visit shall run smoothly, efficiently, and effectively.
The EXECOM-Manila shall be composed of the following:
Head:
Undersecretary, Office of the Executive Secretary
Members:
Undersecretary for Administration, Department of Foreign Affairs
Undersecretary, Department of National Defense
Undersecretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government
Undersecretary, Department of Public Works and Highways
Undersecretary, Department of Health
Undersecretary, Department of Transportation and Communications
Undersecretary, Department of Tourism
Undersecretary, Presidential Communications Operations Office
Chief of Protocol, Office of Presidential Protocol
Representative, Office of the President
Representative, Armed Forces of the Philippines
Representative, Philippine National Police
Representative, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
General Manager, Manila International Airport Authority
Group Commander, Presidential Security Group
Head, Radio-Television Malacañang
The EXECOM-Leyte shall be composed of the following:
Head:
Undersecretary, Office of the Executive Secretary
Members:
Regional Director, Philippine National Police
Commander, Central Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines
Regional Director, Department of Transportation and Communications
Regional Director, Department of Public Works and Highways
Security Task Action Group Commander-Leyte, Presidential Security Group
Representative, Radio-Television Malacañang
The EXECOM-Manila and EXECOM-Leyte are tasked to prepare the necessary budget, which shall be charged to the Contingent Fund of the Office of the President, for approval of the Chairperson.
This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately and shall be functus officio upon the conclusion of the Papal Visit in 2015.
(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
By the President:
(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary
Manila, 30 September 2014
