QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 10673)
It cites Section 14, Article X of the 1987 Constitution, which mandates that the President shall provide for regional development councils (or similar bodies) composed of local government officials, regional heads of department, other government offices, and NGO representatives for administrative decentralization and regional economic and social growth.
Section 33, Article 3, Chapter 3 of the Local Government Code, which provides that LGUs may, through appropriate ordinances, group themselves, consolidate, or coordinate their efforts, services, and resources for commonly beneficial purposes.
It recognizes the Metropolitan Iloilo Development Council (MIDC) created through a Memorandum of Agreement dated 9 February 2001 between Iloilo City and other concerned LGUs, and the Guimaras-Iloilo City alliance (GICA) created through a MOA dated 22 May 2005 between Iloilo City and the Province of Guimaras.
EO No. 559 creates the MIGEDC as a coordinating and monitoring council tasked to formulate, coordinate, and monitor programs, projects, and activities to accelerate economic growth and development of the specified LGUs in support of the Mega-Region Economic Development Strategy.
Iloilo City; the municipalities of Oton, San Miguel, Pavia, Leganes, and Sta. Barbara, all in the Province of Iloilo; and the entire Province of Guimaras.
It links the Council to the Mega-Region Economic Development Strategy of the National Government, as mentioned in the preamble (including references to the MTPIP and the SONA program).
Chairperson: Mayor of Iloilo City. Co-Chairperson: Provincial Governor of the Province of Guimaras.
Members include the Mayor, Municipality of Pavia; Mayor, Municipality of San Miguel; Mayor, Municipality of Oton; Mayor, Municipality of Leganes; Mayor, Municipality of Sta. Barbara; and the President, League of Municipalities, Province of Guimaras.
Section 3 directs the Council to ensure appropriate coordination with RDC VI and other relevant local development councils.
Section 4 orders all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including GOCCs and government financial institutions, to extend full assistance to the Council in support of its programs, projects, and activities.
Section 5 repeals or modifies executive orders, rules, regulations, and other issuances (or parts thereof) that are inconsistent with the provisions of EO No. 559.
Under Section 6, it takes effect immediately.
It frames MIDC and GICA as existing collaborative arrangements; EO No. 559 builds on them by merging/expanding alliances to improve effectiveness and economies of scale in pursuing national developmental goals.
The EO states that MIDC focused on six areas: Basic Services Delivery, Environmental Management, Public Safety and Security, Land Use Management, Infrastructure Development, and Economic Promotion and Development.
GICA focuses on mutually beneficial economic development with special focus on tourism and infrastructure development, specifically emphasizing improvements in road and port systems.
It explicitly requires coordination with RDC VI and other relevant local development councils (Section 3), which suggests the MIGEDC should not operate in isolation and should align with existing planning and development structures.