PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reorganized the National Security Council (NSC) to ensure its resiliency as an institution facing the evolving domestic and international challenges and opportunities.
The President reorganized the NSC through the issuance of Executive Order 81 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Dec. 30, 2024.
The NSC will now be composed of the President as its Chairperson; Senate President; Speaker of the House of Representatives; Senate President Pro-Tempore; Three Deputy Speakers to be designated by the Speaker; Majority Floor Leader of the Senate; Majority Floor Leader of the House; Minority Floor Leader of the Senate; Minority Floor Leader of the House; Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, and Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, as members.
Also part of the council will be the Chairpersons of House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on National Defense and Security, House Committee on Public Order and Safety; Executive Secretary; National Security Adviser; Secretaries of Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Labor and Employment, Presidential Communications Office; Chief Presidential Legal Counsel; Head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office; and other government officials and private citizens appointed by the President.
The Director-General of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), 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 (BSP) may also be invited to participate in the NSC.
As to the NSC’s Executive Committee, it shall now be composed of the President as Chairperson, with members composed of the Executive Secretary; Senate President or his representative; Speaker of the House of Representatives or his representative; National Security Adviser; the Secretaries of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government; and other members or advisers designated by the President.
The NSC is the principal advisory body coordinating and integrating plans and policies relating to or with implications on national security.
Previous orders reconstituted the NSC to further enhance the coordination between the Executive and Legislative branches, in the formulation and integration of policies affecting national security.
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