24-761: The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office ( PVAO ; Filipino: Tanggapan ng Ugnayang Pambeterano ng Pilipinas ) is the Philippine agency for Filipino war veterans. Under the Department of National Defense , PVAO serves to fulfill a national commitment as embodied in Section 7, Article XVI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution : “The State shall provide immediate and adequate care, benefits and other forms of assistance to war veterans and veterans of military campaigns, their surviving spouses and orphans. Funds shall be provided therefor and due consideration shall be given them in
48-542: A decree creating the National Intelligence and Security Authority or NISA, to be the country's national intelligence agency with broad powers over intelligence and national security. In effect, NISA also served as the secret police force of Marcos, and now became the most powerful agency, and the MND's status dwindled. The NISA was headed by General Fabian Ver , Marcos' most trusted man, who was also at that time,
72-477: Is responsible for the administration, maintenance and development of national shrines of military and historic significance, has been renamed as Veterans Memorial and Historical Division (VMHD) and is now a division under PVAO. From six national shrines, it now administers a total of ten military shrines, namely: Department of National Defense (Philippines) The Department of National Defense ( DND ; Filipino : Kagawaran ng Tanggulang Pambansa , KTP )
96-818: Is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for guarding against external and internal threats to peace and security in the country. The Department of National Defense exercises executive supervision over the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP),
120-457: Is the primary intelligence gathering and analysis arm of the Government of the Philippines in charge of carrying out overt, covert , and clandestine intelligence activities. The NICA directs, coordinates, and integrates all intelligence activities, both foreign and domestic, concerning national security, serving as the leading intelligence collector of the national government, focusing on
144-841: The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 , which repealed the Human Security Act of 2007. Pursuant to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, the NICA remains as the Secretariat of the ATC. However, NICA has also now been tasked to provide its recommendation on an application for proscription seeking to declare any individual or group as a terrorist before the Court of Appeals . Such application for proscription may only be filed by
168-526: The Communists and Muslim secessionists. During Martial Law , the Ministry of National Defense (MND) became the most powerful ministry in the executive branch under the leadership of then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile , who was then named martial law overseer by then President Ferdinand Marcos , the military commander-in-chief. Also during Martial Law, Marcos, who assumed dictatorial powers issued
192-655: The Government Arsenal (GA), and Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC). It is also responsible for disaster preparation and management in the country. It is headed by the Secretary of National Defense, who is a member of the President's cabinet. The current Secretary of the National Defense of the Philippines is Gilbert Teodoro as of June 5, 2023. The Department of National Defense or DND
216-790: The Human Security Act of 2007 , which designates the NICA as the Secretariat of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC). In 2011, Juan Ponce Enrile challenged President Aquino to declassify intelligence files from the former NISA. In 2018, then- House of Representatives Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas filed House Bill No. 7111, also known as the Foreign Electronic Surveillance Act. The bill would have allowed NICA agents to covertly conduct electronic surveillance operations against foreign countries, terrorists and private groups without
240-548: The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict 's Situation Awareness and Knowledge Management Cluster. The NICA is led by a Director-General, who reports directly to the President of the Philippines , and is assisted by two Deputy Director-Generals. Its headquarters is located in Quezon City , with regional offices located all over the country and foreign stations in countries of interest to
264-589: The DOJ, subject to the authority of the ATC. On January 3, 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a revamp to the NICA through Executive Order No. 54, which would create the Office of the Deputy Director General (ODDG) for Cyber and Emerging Threats to handle and address counter-intelligence and counter-measures against cybersecurity threats. The NICA is mandated to: The NICA is organized into
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#1732779792356288-596: The NICA to activate the National Maritime Aerial Reconnaissance and Surveillance Center (NMARSC). The NMARSC was designated as the primary imagery intelligence provider for the Philippine intelligence community and was tasked to operate unmanned aerial vehicles under the supervision and oversight of the National Security Adviser. On March 6, 2007, President Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9372, also known as
312-631: The Office of the President. In 1987, shortly after the People Power Revolution which had led to a peaceful removal of President Marcos from office, his successor President Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order No. 246 which abolished NISA and CISA and reestablished NICA. The NICA then refocused its priorities in tackling the communist insurgency in the Philippines . In 1990, the National Security Advisor
336-613: The Philippine government. The National Intelligence Committee, chaired by the Director-General, serves as the advisory body of NICA. Founded in 1949, the NICA was created by President Elpidio Quirino under the authority of Executive Order No. 235. In 1954, the Government Survey and Reorganization Commission ordered the expansion of the powers of NICA. The agency was reorganized in 1958 under Executive Order No. 291 by President Carlos P. Garcia . The NICA
360-526: The commander of the then Presidential Security Command and later, was named to be the concurrent staff of the Armed Forces , thus becoming the most powerful military officer. At the end of Marcos regime on 1986, the DND continued to exercise the powers to deal with criminality and internal plus external defense of the country until 1991 when then President Corazon Aquino signed Republic Act No. 6975 passing
384-496: The country's strategic intelligence requirements. It is mandated to prepare intelligence estimate on local and foreign situation for the formulation of national security policies by the President and the National Security Council . The agency also serves as the focal point for the government's counterintelligence activities and operation; acts as Secretariat to the Anti-Terrorism Council; and serves as head of
408-516: The disposition of agricultural lands of the public domain and, in appropriate cases, in the utilization of natural resources.” PVAO's core functions include the administration of veteran’s pension and benefits, memorialization of veterans’ heroic deeds, and promotion of policies and management of services for veterans’ affairs and welfare. The Veterans Memorial Medical Center provides hospitalization, medical care and treatment to veterans and their dependents. The former Military Shrines Service which
432-484: The external and internal security of the country. As such, the DND deals also with criminal elements because the Philippine Constabulary or PC, then a major branch of the Armed Forces that has responsibility in enforcing the law and maintaining peace and order was under its supervision, aside from other AFP major services ( Army , Navy , Air Force ) which are busy dealing with fighting insurgents like
456-633: The functions to enforce all criminal laws from DND to the Department of the Interior and Local Government or DILG. Both departments, however, shared the responsibility of guaranteeing internal security. The department is headed by the Secretary of National Defense , with the following five undersecretaries and assistant secretaries. National Intelligence and Security Authority The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency ( NICA ) ( Filipino : Pambansang Ahensiya na Tagapag-Ugnay sa Pamalayan )
480-585: The need of having a warrant or a court order in an emergency situation. A warrantless operation outside the Philippine territory would also need the approval by the Director-General of the NICA and the Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ). However, since it was not enacted by the end of the 17th Congress , the bill is already considered "dead" in the House of Representatives Committee on National Defense and Security . On June 3, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11479, also known as
504-564: Was abolished on November 16, 1972, by President Ferdinand Marcos under Presidential Decree No. 51, and was replaced by the National Intelligence and Security Authority (NISA), which was designated as the principal intelligence agency, and the Civil Intelligence and Security Agency (CISA), which was tasked with counterintelligence and supervision of all civil security units in Philippine government offices. The NISA
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#1732779792356528-561: Was formally organised on November 1, 1939, pursuant to Executive Order No. 230 of President Manuel L. Quezon to implement Commonwealth Act No. 1 or the National Defense Act of 1935 passed by the National Assembly on December 31, 1935, and Commonwealth Act No. 340 creating the department. Throughout its existence, the department's functions are to enforce the law and to curb criminality and to guarantee
552-516: Was given responsibility to oversee management and control of NICA to be responsive to the needs of the President and the National Security Council . NICA agents were responsible for the arrest of several Abu Sayyaf members, including Al Qaeda -linked bomber Abdulmukim Edris. In 2005, the agency established two directorates to conduct economic intelligence and counterintelligence activities. On February 1, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order No. 492, which ordered
576-558: Was then headed by Gen. Fabian Ver and was alleged to be responsible for various human rights abuses , primarily during the martial law period . The regime of President Marcos, through Gen. Ver, was believed to have used NISA to spy on, abduct and eliminate persons opposing the autocracy of President Marcos in the 1970s and the 1980s. In 1978, the NISA was designated as the focal point for all intelligence activities involving national security and supervisor of other intelligence agencies under
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