AGENDA: AMENDMENT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 325 S.
1996 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
“REORGANIZATION OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS [REPEALING EXECUTIVE
ORDER NO. 308, SERIES OF 1987, AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER NOS. 318, (S. OF
1988), 347 (S. OF 1989), 366 (S. OF 1989), 455 (S. OF 1991) AND 505 (S. 1992)” TO INCLUDE THE
NCIP AS A REGULAR AND VOTING MEMBER
BACKGROUND:
The RDC is the highest policy-making body in the region and serves as the counterpart of the
NEDA Board at the sub-national level. It is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the
direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region.
The RDC is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and
social development efforts in the region. It also serves as a forum where local efforts can be
related and integrated with national development activities.
The RDC was established by virtue of Letter of Implementation No. 22 issued on 31 December
1972 pursuant to the implementation of the Integrated Reorganization Plan of 1972. Its present
constitutional foundation rests on Article X, Section 14 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which
states that:
“The President shall provide for regional development councils, or other similar
bodies composed of local government officials, regional heads of departments
and other offices, and representatives from non-government organizations within
the region for purposes of administrative decentralization to strengthen the
autonomy of units therein and to accelerate the economic and social
development of the units in the region.”
To carry out this provision, Executive Order 308 was issued on 05 November 1987, which
reorganized the RDC. Subsequent amendments include EOs 318 (s.1988), 347 and 366 (s.
1989), 455 (s.1991) and 505 (s. 1992). On 12 April 1996, the foregoing EOs were repealed with
the issuance of EO 325 signed by President Fidel V. Ramos. This latest issuance further
strengthened the RDCs to make it more responsive to new developments in socio-political fields
and to ensure sustainable and broad-based development process.
Recognizing labor as a primary social and economic force, EO 384 was subsequently issued
on 07 December 1996 thereby institutionalizing the labor sector representation in the RDCs.
The regular membership of the Council was further expanded in 2002 to include the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), taking cognizance of their role as major stakeholders in
the generation of high-level and technical manpower at the regional level (EO 143).
As provided in EO 325, the Regional Directors of members represented in the NEDA Board
shall be regular members of the RDC. Per Administrative Order (AO) 148 (S. 2006), the
NEDA Board was reconstituted which excluded the membership of the Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the
Department of Health (DOH). These agencies were, however, reinstated through EO 562 (S.
2006) considering the critical roles of these agencies in the pursuit of socio-economic
development across the regions.
On June 30, 2008, Administrative Order 231 was issued which reorganized the cabinet
groups including the NEDA Board. It excluded the membership of Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA). It added Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC),
Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) and Presidential
Management Staff (PMS). The membership of DOLE and DFA were also reinstated through
EO 755 (S. 2008).
The RDC under EO 325 (s. 1996) has become more responsive to the increased autonomy
of the LGUs as provided for by the 1991 Local Government Code (Republic Act No. 7160).
In particular, EO 325 was issued to enable the RDC to respond effectively to the increased
needs of the LGUs for technical assistance in the areas of planning, investment
programming and project development in the light of the LGUs’ strengthened roles and
greater responsibilities. The NEDA Regional Office 5 serves as the secretariat of the RDC.
The RDC’s relevance is further highlighted through the major functions it is mandated to do
such as coordination of the implementation programs in the regions that involves several
local government units and agencies. The technical assistance it provides to LGUs, upon
request, extends to the preparation of local development plans and programs and fulfilling
requirements of LGU projects proposed to be funded under the Official Development
Assistance (ODA).
ISSUE: THE NCIP IS NOT A REGULAR VOTING MEMBER OF THE RDC
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Under EO 235 s. 1996, the regular members of the RDC are the following:
“SECTION 1. Regular Members. The following shall be the regular RDC members:
a. all provincial governors;
b. all city mayors;
c. mayors of municipalities designated as provincial capitals;
d. all presidents of the provincial league of mayors;
e. the mayors of the municipality designated as the regional center;
f. the regional directors of agencies represented in the National Economic and
Development Authority Board (NEDA, DAR, DA, DBM, DENR, DOF, DFA, DOH, DILG,
DOLE, DPWH, DOST, DTI, DOTC, BSP) and the regional directors of DECS, DSWD, and
DOT; provided that each agency shall be represented by only one regional director; and
g. private sector representatives (PSRs) who shall comprise one-fourth of the members of
the fully-constituted council.” (emphasis supplied)
It is quite understandable that the NCIP was not included in the composition of the regular members of
the RDC since its composition under RA 8371 or the IPRA law was only on the year 1997. However,
due to the advent of EO 70 s.2019, the role of the NCIP in attaining inclusive and attainable peace by
the elimination of the communist local armed conflict cannot be undermined. The reason for this is that
the members of the IP community had long been exploited by the local communist group in their
nefarious end to topple the government.
In the Bicol Region as well as other regions, the NCIP is only placed under the Sectoral Committee of
the RDC which is essentially the support group for the RDC council. In order to have a more
empowered representation of the cause of the IP communities in the Philippines, it would be of great
importance if the NCIP would be given its “voting” power under the RDC council in order for it to
incorporate its mandate in the protection and development of the IPs toward sustainable development
in the country. Towards this end, it could promote and protect the FPIC process as well as respect for
the ADs in crafting development plans for the country.