FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.lNo. 252 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Government policies in the country have been inclined to vary from one administration to 
another. Attached to this is merely the absence of systematic policy research that can facilitate 
the fonnulation of government policies as well as the strategies necessary to implement them. 
In public governance, leaders should consider not only affairs that are confined within their 
tenns as elected public officials. More importantly, they must focus on long-tenn planning and 
strategic concepts in relation to the country's welfare. Thus, there should be a special group - a 
team of experts doing research work and fonnulating sound national policies - assigned to carry 
out strategic studies for the benefit of the country. 
The strengthening of policy research and strategic studies on the country is extremely urgent. In 
anticipation of the remarkable changes the country is bound to experience, both nationwide and 
worldwide, it becomes more necessary to defme how our national and international policies 
should advance. 
This bill assigns the fonnulation of strategic policies to the Center for International Relations and 
Strategic Studies. This bill also proposes for the expansion of functions of the said center, by 
including researches on matters of national and economic security. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RILLANESIV 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 252 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
EXPANDING THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND 
STRATEGIC STUDIES TO INCLUDE RESEARCH AND FORMULATION OF 
STRATEGIC OPTIONS FOR NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SECURITY 
POLICIES 
Be in enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Expansion of tile Center for International Relations and Strategic 
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Studies. -
The Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies is hereby 
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expanded to include research and formulation of strategic options for national and 
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economic security policies in its operational scope and activities. 
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SEC. 2. General Objectives. - The Center's general objectives are as follows: 
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1) To enhance understanding by the executive and legislative branches of 
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fundamental, current, and emerging domestic and international issues by assisting the 
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government in formulating policy and strategic perspectives thereon; 
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2) To undertake studies of domestic and international, political, economic, 
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military, socio-cultural, and techno-scientific significance in an inter-discipline and 
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integrative manner; 
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3) To carry out such other programs and projects as may contribute to the 
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attainment of its mission. 
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SEC. 3. Specific Objectives. -
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1) Examine Philippine foreign and domestic policy issues and identify problems 
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in their conceptualization, formulation and implementation; 
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2) Assess social, economic, political and security developments and trends in our 
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country and in various parts of the world and help fonnulate appropriate policy responses 
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and strategies. 
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3) To study the experience of other governments and ten (10) nations insofar as to 
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draw lessons from them andlor anticipate their repercussions on the Philippines. 
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4) To examine the global presence of Filipino nationals and their impact upon our 
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national development and foreign relations and help project constmctive policies in this 
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regard. 
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5) To develop expertise in area studies as well as resource bases on international 
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relations, economic security and national development to serve the long-tenn needs of 
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our country. 
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6) To develop networks and infonnation dissemination among various sectors in 
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Philippine society and counterpart organizations in the international community for the 
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above purposes and as a contribution to the enhancement of global understanding and 
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cooperation. 
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SEC. 4. Divisions. - The Center shall have the following Divisions under it: 
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I) The Strategic Studies Division, which shall conduct long-tenn and 
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comprehensive studies on major strategic global issues and their probable impact on the 
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Philippines; 
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2) The International Relations Division, which shall undertake studies on 
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Philippine bilateral and multilateral relations; 
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3) The National Policy Issues Division, which shall concentrate on studies dealing 
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with national concerns in the political, economic and security areas; 
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4) The Cultural and Scientific Policy Studies Division, which shall deal with 
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studies regarding national concerns in the socio-cultural and techno-scientific fields; and 
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5) The Library, which shall serve as the infonnation repository of the Department 
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and the Institute. 
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SEC. 5. Research Fellows. -
There shall be designated research fellows to 
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conduct and direct research work and strategic studies in the various functional/area 
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programs consistent with their disciplines and expertise individually or collegially. They 
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are to be commissioned by the Center to conduct studies or to serve as project 
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directors/consultants for in-house studies. 
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Depending on the nature and scale of the project, fellows recruited as consultants 
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will be paid monthly honoraria for the duration of the project. Alternatively, a 
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memorandum of agreement may be signed between the fellow or the agency he 
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represents and the Center for needed studies. 
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The Center shall hire research consultants and commission projects in special 
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cases where the in-house staff has no technical capability or where other individuals or 
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institutions have expertise. 
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SEC. 6. Council of Advisers. - The Center shall organize a Council of Advisers. 
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It will be composed of eminent scholars and practitioners from government and non-
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government institutions/entities that maintain units engaged in policy research and 
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strategic studies. 
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The Council shall be consulted regularly by the Center on the research agenda. Its 
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member-entities will be entitled to copies of regular CIRSS publications and access to the 
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Center's library and data bank. In employing visiting research fellows, the Center shall 
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give priority to researches and analysts of the Council's member-entities if found 
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qualified. In return, the member-entities will link up with the CIRSS information network 
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and grant the Center's research felIows access to their indexed reference materials subject 
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to clearance. 
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SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees and executive orders inconsistent 
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herewith are hereby modified or repealed accordingly. 
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SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
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unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and enforceability of other 
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provisions not affected thereby. 
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SEC. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect upon its approval and publication 
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in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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