OVERHAUL
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reorganized the National Security Council (NSC).
The Executive Order No. 81 removes the Vice President and former Philippine presidents from the roster of its members.
The EO was signed last December 30, 2024.
“There is a need to further guarantee that the NSC remains a resilient national security institution, capable of adapting to evolving challenges and opportunities both domestically and internationally,” according to the EO.
The Vice President was also removed as member of the NSC’s executive committee.
EO 81 includes the Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office as the newest member of the NSC, replacing the now-defunct presidential spokesperson who was previously listed as a member of the council.
“All orders, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.”
With the reorganization, the NSC shall now be composed of the President, Executive Secretary, Senate President or his representative, House Speaker, National Security Adviser, and secretaries of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of National Defense (DND), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The council will still be headed by the President as the chairperson and is composed of the Senate president, House Speaker, Senate president pro-tempore, three deputy speakers designated by the House Speaker, Senate’s Majority and Minority Floor leaders, and House Majority and Minority Floor leaders.
Other officials included in the council are chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on National Defense and Security, House Committee on Public Order and Safety.
The Executive Secretary, National Security Adviser, secretaries of DFA; DOJ; DND; DILG; Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); and Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Chief Presidential Legal Counsel; Presidential Legislative Liaison Office head, and other government officials and private citizens as the President may appoint or designate from time to time are also included in the council.
The director-general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the chief of the Philippine National Police, and the director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) shall attend the meetings of the council as may be necessary to advise and assist in its deliberations.
The governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas may also be invited to participate in the NSC.
