The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) activated on Monday, Nov. 8, a new unit which will coordinate the efforts of the military to keep the peace and order in the country with the help of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

AFP Chief of Staff, General Jose Faustino Jr. led the activation of the Office of the Secretariat for Joint Peace Security Coordinating Council (JPSCC) at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The new office shall perform secretariat functions for the AFP Chief of Staff, who co-chairs the joint coordinating council along with the PNP Chief and the PCG Commandant.

"The recent decisive accomplishments in terms of internal security and law enforcement operations clearly demonstrate the close cooperation and collaborative efforts of the AFP, PNP, and PCG," Faustino said, perhaps referring to the deaths of a top Daulah Islamiyah commander and New People's Army (NPA) officer in recent weeks.

"The importance of this newly activated Office is made more relevant and timely as we sustain the tempo of our security operations to weaken our state's adversaries," he added.

Formerly enclosed in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3, the Secretariat was elevated in response to the increased operational and administrative requirements with the inclusion of the Philippine Coast Guard as a member of the JPSCC and ramping up of collaborative efforts among the member agencies.

Brigadier General Alex Rillera, the current Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, AJ3, was designated to lead the new office.

Earlier in July, the AFP and the PNP signed Resolution Number 11-2021 that included the PCG into the JPSCC and designated its Commandant as one of the council co-chairpersons.

The three chiefs also signed JPSCC Letter Directive No. 03-2021 which called for the reorganization of the coordinating center.

In the revised structure, the National JPSCC will now be headed by the AFP Chief, PNP Chief and PCG Commandant while AFP Unified Commanders, PNP Directors for Integrated Police Operation, and PCG Area Commanders will exercise supervision over the Regional and Provincial JPSCCs.

The directive also stipulates that cooperation and coordination among the AFP, PNP, and PCG complemented by collaboration and consultation with all stakeholders shall be the guiding principle in addressing peace and security concerns.

"The volatility and complexity of the security environment compels us to review and assess our approaches and formulate new strategies. We in the AFP are profoundly committed to working closely with the PNP and the PCG in order to maximize the effectiveness and reach of our efforts," Faustino noted.