The Office of the President has issued an administrative order, creating the “Situmiayat Wakhamsum Aldhikraa National Committee” (SWANC) for the commemoration of the 650th anniversary of the Philippine Muslim History and Heritage.
A five-page Administrative Order No. 10 dated November 7 and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stated that the SWANC will be tasked to facilitate the planning and implementation of programs, activities and projects of the 650th Philippine Muslim History and Heritage commemoration anniversary.
“It is imperative to constitute a National Steering Committee that shall organize, coordinate and synchronize programs, projects and activities for the said commemoration rites,” the order stated as it emphasized that the commemoration will begin next year through 2030.
The order also stressed that the commemoration anniversary will recognize the role of Muslim Filipinos in shaping Philippine history and heritage as it emphasized that it will not only promote local and national tourism, “but also reignite nationalism in every Filipino, inculcate values for the common good, strengthen social cohesiveness of the community, and intensify social awareness.”
The chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) will serve as the chairperson of the SWANC while the secretary of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and the chairperson of the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage will serve as co-vice chairpersons.
Other member agencies of the SWANC include the secretaries of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU).
According to the administrative order, the Chairperson, Co-Vice Chairpersons and Members of the SWANC may designate their respective alternates, with the rank of Assistant Secretary or higher, who shall be fully authorized to decide for and on their behalf.
The NHCP will also “serve as the Secretariat of the SWANC, and shall provide the necessary technical, administrative, and operational support to the Committee. As may be necessary, the Secretariat may be complemented by existing personnel from its member-agencies, subject to the authorization from their respective heads of agencies.”
The SWANC is tasked to prepare a comprehensive plan for the commemoration of the 650th Anniversary of Philippine Muslim History and Heritage, and endorse it for approval of the President, within six months from the effectivity of the order. PND
