QuestionsQuestions (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 370)
EO No. 370 (1996) strengthens the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) to better coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Philippines’ commitments under UNCED and the Philippine Agenda 21 (PA 21), and to institutionalize support from other key sectors for planning, policy formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of sustainable development.
The Chairperson is the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning as NEDA Director-General and Chair of the POPCOM Board of Commissioners, and the Vice-Chairperson is the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
EO No. 370 enumerates departments with regular officers (director or higher) duly deputized to represent their secretaries: DFA, DOST, DOF, DAR, DA, DPWH, DECS, DOLE, DOH, DTI, DILG, DSWD, DBM, DND, DOE, DOTC, and DAR (agrarian reform).
Civil society members (people’s organizations, NGOs, and sectoral/major groups) have nine (9) Council members selected by their communities through a process designed by them, based on commitment to sustainable development concerns.
The major groups include women, youth, farmers, fisherfolks, indigenous people, Moro and Cordillera people, urban poor, persons with disabilities, academe, professionals, media, religious groups, and NGOs.
Labor and business each have two (2) representatives in the Council. Their representation is decided through a process designed by labor and business, respectively.
The Council may invite any government agency or non-government entity as a resource person.
The EO creates four (4) committees under the Council corresponding to the four major areas of concern of the global Agenda 21, to support the Council’s work in specific thematic dimensions of sustainable development.
They are: (1) CSED—Chaired by NEDA; (2) CCMRD—Chaired by DENR; (3) CSRMG—Chaired by DILG; and (4) CMI—Chaired by DOST.
Government representatives to these committees must be at least division chiefs in their respective agencies.
Each committee shall have a Co-chair who is not from the government sector and is elected by the committee members.
The Council must establish guidelines and mechanisms to expand and operationalize sustainable development principles and incorporate them into the preparation of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan at both national and local levels, with active participation from the non-government sector.
The Council is tasked to review and monitor plans, policies, programs, and legislations on sustainable development and recommend mechanisms/strategies for promoting efficiency and timeliness of their execution.
The Council acts as a coordinating mechanism with the UNCSD through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and actively solicits assistance and cooperation toward realization of commitments made at UNCED.
It must institutionalize a mechanism ensuring linkage with the legislative, executive, local government units, NGOs, business, and other entities/sectors in the formulation of policies and decision-making on sustainable development.
The Council is empowered to catalyze the formation and institutionalization of local councils for sustainable development in close coordination with local authorities.
The Council is assisted by a Coordinating Secretariat based at NEDA (composition determined by the Director-General) and a Counterpart Secretariat whose composition is determined by the people’s/NGO members of the Council.
A regular line item under the NEDA budget is provided in the General Appropriations Act to cover operational requirements of the Council, subject to prescribed budgetary guidelines.
All Executive Orders inconsistent with EO No. 370 are repealed or amended accordingly, and it takes effect immediately.