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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
1 
7 JLlL -2 ;3 ;:' ' ' : ., 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
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Senate Bill No. 4 4 2 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORYNOTE 
This bills seeks to institutionalize a National Peace Policy. 
The Preamble of the 1987 Constitution sanctifies peace, thus: 
The Sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty 
God, in order to build a just and humane society and establish a 
Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote 
the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, ' and 
secure to ourselves and our prosperity the blessings of 
independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of 
truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace. 
While the Constitution regards peace as sacrosanct, it does not refer 
categorically to the concept of peace negotiations as an instrument for resolving 
conflicts. Furthermore, although the Constitution provided the President with 
extraordinary power "to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or 
rebellion," (Art. 7, Sec. 18) it has no provision for the use of extraordinary 
peaceful means to meet armed threats to the State. 
Evidently, the absence of a clear and unequivocal national peace policy 
caused some delays and snags in the peace talks, with the major rebel groups, 
namely the National Democratic Front (NDF), the Mor0 National Liberation Front 
(MNLF), the Mor0 Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the Rebolusyonaryong 
Alyansang Makabansa-Soldiers of the Filipino People-Young Officers Union 
There is a need for a national peace policy to guide the President and all 
departments and branches of government, in working together for peace, which, 
undeniably, is the basic foundation for economic development and national 
prosperity. Further, the creation of an independent Commission on Peace would 
contribute to the national pursuit of a comprehensive peace process with the end 
in view of achieving enduring peace for all Filipinos. 
As provided in this measure, the peace process should adhere to certain 
principles. These included the pursuit of social, economic and political reforms; 
consensus-building and empowerment; effective negotiation with different rebel 
groups; programs for reconciliation, reintegration into mainstream society and 
rehabilitation; addressing concerns relative to continuing armed hostilities and 
nurturing a climate conducive to peace. 
(RAM-SFP-YOU). 


More importantly, a national peace policy would bring into sharp focus the 
value of a comprehensive peace process to the nation’s life and survival, its 
constitutional underpinnings, underlying principles and components, the value of 
the National Unification Commission consultations and guidelines for peace talks 
in carrying out the peace process. 
In view of the foregoing considerations, early approval of this bill is 
earnestly sought. 
JM~OSYJERCITO 
ESTRADA 
< 
)Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
7 JUI -2 !' 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
DECLARING A NATIONAL PEACE POLICY THEREBY CREATING A 
COMMISSION ON PEACE 
Be in enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled. 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National 
Peace Policy Act of 2007." 
SEC. 2. Constitutional Policy on Peace. - The national peace policy shall 
a) The sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of the Almighty God, in 
order to build a just and humane society and establish a government 
that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common 
good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves 
and to prosperity the blessings of independence and democracy under 
the rule of law an a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and 
peace. 
b) The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty and 
property, and the promotion of the general welfare are essential for the 
enjoyment by all people of the blessings of democracy. 
be pursued in the light of the following constitutional mandates: 
SEC. 3. Principles Underlying the Comprehensive Peace Process. - The 
comprehensive peace process shall be governed by the following underlying 
principles: 
a) A comprehensive peace process shall be community-based, reflecting 
the sentiments, values, and principles important to all Filipinos. Thus, it 
shall be defined not by government alone, nor by the different 
contending groups only, but by all Filipinos as one community. 
b) A comprehensive peace process aims to forge a new compact for a 
just, equitable, humane and pluralistic society. It seeks to establish a 
genuinely pluralistic society where all individuals and groups are free to 
engage in peaceful competition for predominance of their political 
programs without fear, through the exercise of rights and liberties 
guaranteed by the Constitution, and where they may compete for 
political power through an electoral system that is free, fair and honest. 


guaranteed by the Constitution, and where they may compete for 
political power through an electoral system that is free, fair and honest. 
SEC. 3. Components of the Comprehensive Peace Process. - The 
comprehensive peace process shall include, but shall not be limited to, the 
following components: 
a) PURSUIT OF SOCIAL, 
ECONOMIC AND 
POLITICAL 
REFORMS. This component would allow the Commission on 
Peace to act as a coordinative body of the various policies, 
reforms, programs and project aimed at addressing the root 
causes of internal armed conflicts and social unrest. This may 
require further administrative action, new legislation or even 
constitutional amendments. 
- This component shall include the continuing consultations on 
both the national and local levels to build consensus for a peace 
agenda and process and the mobilization and facilitation of 
people’s participation in the peace process. 
c) PEACEFUL NEGOTITIATED SETTLEMENT WITH THE 
DIFFERENT REBEL GROUPS. This component involves the 
conduct of face-to-face negotiations to reach peaceful 
settlement with the different rebel groups. 
d) PROGRAMS FOR RECONCILIATION, REINTEGRATION, 
INTO MAINTSTREAM SOCIETY AND REHABILITATION. This 
component shall include programs to address the legal status 
and security of former rebels, as well as community-based 
assistance programs to address the economic, social, and 
psychological rehabilitation needs of former rebels, demobilized 
combatants, and civilian victims of the internal armed conflicts. 
e) ADDRESSING 
CONCERNS, 
ARISING 
FROM 
THE 
CONTINUING ARMED HOSTILITIES. This component involves 
the strict implementation of laws and policy guidelines, and the 
institution of programs to ensure the protection of non- 
combatants and reduce the impact of the armed conflict on 
communities found in conflict areas. 
9 BUILDING AND NURTURING A CLIMATE CONDUCIVE TO 
PEACE. This component shall include peace advocacy and 
peace education programs and the implementation of various 
confidence-building measures aimed at ensuring transparency 
and good faith in the peace process. 
b) CONSENSUS-BUILDING AND EMPOWEMENT FOR PEACE. 
SEC. 5. Creation of the Commission on Peace. There is hereby created 
an independent Commission on Peace which shall be tasked to assist the 
President in the active pursuit of a comprehensive peace process. 
a) The Commission on Peace shall be composed of a Chairman 
and four (4) Members who must be natural-born citizens of the 
Philippines and, at that time of their appointment, at least thirty- 
five (35) years of age must not have been candidate for any 
elective position in the elections immediately preceding their 
appointment. 
b) The Chairman and the Members of the Commission on Peace 
shall not, during their tenure, hold any office or employment. 
Neither shall they engage in the practice of any profession or in 
active management or control of any business which in any way 
may be affected by the functions of their office, nor shall be 


financially interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with, 
or in any franchise or privilege granted by the government, any 
of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, including 
government-owned or 
controlled 
corporations 
or 
their 
subsidiaries. 
c) The Chairman and the Members of the Commission on Peace 
shall be appointed by the President for a term of seven (7) years 
without reappointment. Appointments to any vacancy shall be 
only for the unexpected term of the predecessor. 
d) The Chairman and the Members of the Commission on Peace 
shall receive the same salary as the Chairman and Members, 
respectively, of the Constitutional Commissions, which shall not 
be decreased during the term of office. 
e) In recognition of the crucial role of civil society in the 
implementation of a comprehensive peace process, one (1) 
member of the Commission on Peace should come from the 
civil society, 
SEC. 6. Secretariat. - There shall be a Peace Commission Secretariat, 
headed by an Executive Director which shall provide all the necessary 
administrative and technical support to the Commission on Peace. 
SEC. 7. Powers and Functions of the Commission. - The Commission on 
1. 
Formulate policies, programs, guidelines, plans and provide direction 
in the implementation of the government‘s peace process. 
2. 
Conduct continuing consultations and dialogues with various sectors 
of the citizenry towards ensuring people’s direct participation in the 
governmenf’s peace process; 
Submit an annual report to both Houses of Congress on the process 
and implementation of people’s recommendations resulting from 
consultation and dialogue; 
4. Request the assistance of the departments, agencies, including 
government-owned and controlled corporations in the efficient and 
effective implementation of the peace process; 
Perform such other functions as well as exercise such powers as may 
be delegated or assigned by the President. 
Peace shall have the following powers and functions. 
3. 
5. 
SEC. 8. Citizen’s Participation. -The State recognizes the vital role of civil 
society in the comprehensive peace process, Citizen’s participation in the peace 
process shall be welcomed, enhances and protected. Mechanisms for this 
include the basic sector’s peace agenda, peace consultations, citizen third 
parties in the peace talks and community-based peace initiatives including peace 
zones. 
SEC. 9. Transparency and Accounfabjhfy. - The President and the 
administrative structure for carrying on the peace process shall pursue a policy of 
transparency and accountability subject to the confidentiality requirements of 
peace negotiations. 
SEC. 10. Abolition, Transfer of Assets and Personnel. - All agencies 
involved in the implementation of the Six Paths to Peace stated herein such as 


the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) created 
under Executive Order No. 125, the National Program for Unification and 
Development Council (NPUDC) created under Executive Order No. 152 and the 
National Peace Forum (NPF) created under Executive Order No. 115 and the 
Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) panels are hereby 
abolished. 
The unexpended appropriations of the abovementioned agencies are 
hereby transferred to the Commission on Peace. All properties, records, 
equipment, buildings, facilities and other assets of same shall be transferred to 
the Commission. 
The Commission on Peace may retain personnel of the OPAPP, the 
NPUDC and the NPF and the GRP panels, as may be necessary in the fulfillment 
of its powers and functions. Any public officer of employee separated from the 
service as a result of the abolition of the said offices effected under this Act shall 
receive the benefits to which he or she may be entitled under existing laws, rules 
and regulations. 
SEC. 11. Transition Period. - Until such time that the Commission on 
Peace is fully operational, the OPAPP Secretariat shall continue to provide staff 
support to the Commission on Peace. It shall be under the direct control and 
supervision of the Chair of the Commission on Peace. 
SEC. 12. Appropriations. -The amount as may be necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the appropriations of this Act within 
thirty (30) days from its approval. 
SEC. 13. lmplemenfing Rules and Regulafions. - A Technical Working 
Group (TWG) composed of the agencies which were abolished and subsumed 
under the Commission on Peace shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act ninety (90) days after the 
passage of this Act. 
SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be 
held unconstitutional or invalid other parts or provisions hereof which are not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect, Provided however, 
that no provision hereof shall be construed as a diminution of any peace pact. 
SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders and other 
executive issuances which may be inconsistent with any of the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 16. Effecfivify Clause - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) 
days following its publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation 
Approved,