BAGUIO CITY – The recently issued Department of Interior and Local Government memorandum circular no. 2015-130, the guidelines on the functions of the Peace and Order Councils (POCs), Barangay Peace and Order Committees (BPOCs) and POC secretariat were spelled out.
The guidelines were issued to further strengthen the POCs/BPOCs pursuant to the Peace and Development Agenda.
In the circular, “pursuant to Section 116 of Republic Act No. 7160 also known as the Local Government Code of 1991, and Executive Order No. 773, series of 2009, which call for the further reorganization of the POC, every Province, City and Municipality is mandated to create a POC. Likewise, every barangay, pursuant to EO 366, series of 1996, is mandated to create a BPOC as the implementing arm of the city/municipality POC”.
The BPOCs formulates a barangay POPs Plan which shall be incorporated in the barangay development plan; recommend measures to improve or enhance peace and order and public safety in the community; monitor and coordinate the implementation of peace and order programs and projects at the barangay level; serves as an information-gathering mechanism; monitor and report to appropriate authorities, suspicious illegal insurgent activities; maintain continuing dialogue, close coordination and rapport with the higher-level POC and law enforcement units; coordinate the operation of all community-based anti-crime groups within the barangay; make periodic assessment of the prevailing peace and order situation in the barangay, and submit a report, with appropriate recommendations to the higher-level POC; submit annual BPOC functionality report pursuant to DILG memorandum circular no. 2008-101; and to perform other functions as may be assigned.
On the other hand, it is the duty of the National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) to convene the NPOC as least twice a year or as often as the need arises; to contribute to the strategies of the National Security Council that would effectively respond to peace and order problems; to coordinate with the sub-national POCs and monitor the implementation of peace and order plans; to invite other concerned agencies, not included in E.O. 773 to join or participate in NPOC meetings and/or activities; to provide a forum for inter-disciplinary dialogue and deliberation of major issues and concerns affecting peace, order and public safety nationwide; to recommend strategic actions or activities aimed at promoting, improving and maintaining peace, order and public safety; to develop performance standards of sub-national POCs; and to link performance of sub-national POCs to awards and incentives program.
The Regional, Provincial, City and Municipal Peace and Order Council shall convene the POC quarterly, or as often as the need arises; invite other concerned agencies not included in the EO 773 to join or participate in POC meetings and/or activities; formulate a 3-year RPOC Operational Plan, or a 3-yeat LPOC Peace and Order and Public Safety (POPs) Plan to be incorporated in the Comprehensive Development Plan; provide a forum for inter-disciplinary dialogue and deliberation of major issues and concerns affecting peace, order and public safety nationwide; recommend measures to converge and orchestrate internal security operations efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police; formulate and adopt an effective mechanism for the coordination, cooperation, and consultation involving the local executives, citizenry and law enforcement agencies; monitor the provision of livelihood and infrastructure development programs and projects in the remote rural and indigenous population areas; create a Special Action Committee to address the immediate issues on peace and order and public safety in case of emergencies; create a Technical Working Group for the purpose of POPs Planning, following the guidelines prescribed by the DILG; submit semestral POC accomplishment report to the NPOC; serve as the convergence mechanism to support the Comprehensive Local Integration Program Committee in its implementation; and provide staff and financial support to POC secretariat. /Jho Arranz
