Title
Reorganization of Regional Development Councils
Law
Executive Order No. 308
Decision Date
Nov 5, 1987
Executive Order No. 308 reorganizes and strengthens the Regional Development Councils in the Philippines, empowering them to coordinate and set the direction of economic and social development in their respective regions, with the support of sectoral committees and a Regional Consultative Assembly, and under the leadership of a Chairman appointed by the President.
reorganization
regional development councils
executive order

Policy and role of councils

  • Section 1 declares it to be State policy that socio-economic development programs and activities of government are undertaken with extensive and active participation and support from, and coordination with, various government agencies and private sector institutions at the national, regional, and local levels.
  • Section 2 reorganizes and strengthens the Regional Development Council (the Council) as the primary institution in the region.
  • The Council sets the direction of economic and social development of the region.
  • The Council coordinates regional development efforts.
  • The Council operates as the core regional planning and coordination mechanism for socio-economic development.

Council composition and membership

  • The Council is composed of all provincial Governors and mayors of chartered cities, and the mayors of the regional center in each region (Section 2[a][i]).
  • The Council includes the Regional Directors of agencies represented in the NEDA Board (Section 2[a][ii]).
  • Each Department or Agency is represented by only one Regional Director of that Department or Agency (Section 2[a][ii] proviso).
  • Private sector and non-governmental organization representatives must be no more than one-fourth of the members of the fully constituted Council (Section 2[a][iii]).
  • Private sector and NGO representatives are selected by the ex-officio members of the Council, following Rules and Regulations to be prescribed under Section 9 (Section 2[a][iii]).

Council powers and functions

  • The Council coordinates the formulation of long-term, medium-term, and annual socio-economic development plans and policies at the regional and subregional levels (Section 2[b][i]).
  • The Council coordinates the formulation of medium-term and annual public investment programs at the regional and subregional levels (Section 2[b][ii]).
  • The Council undertakes appraisal and prioritization of the region’s socio-economic development programs and projects consistent with NEDA standards and policies (Section 2[b][iii]).
  • The Council promotes and monitors the inflow and allocation of private investment capital in the regions consistent with regional development objectives, strategies, and policies (Section 2[b][iv]).
  • The Council coordinates the implementation of programs and projects in the region that involve several agencies (Section 2[b][v]).
  • The Council monitors, evaluates, and formulates recommendations on the implementation of development plans and programs in the region (Section 2[b][vi]).
  • The Council approves the Regional Development plan, the Multi-year Regional Development Investment Program, and the Regional annual Investment Program (Section 2[b]).
  • The Council reviews and endorses to the national government the regional budget proposals of government agencies (Section 2[b]).
  • The Council ensures consistency of local development plans with regional plan priorities by coordinating with the Provincial Development Councils and the Municipal Development Councils (Section 2[b]).
  • The Council meets as often as necessary but not less than once every quarter (Section 2[b]).
  • The Council may create, by resolution, an Executive Committee to handle day-to-day Council activities (Section 2[b]).
  • The Council reports to the President through the NEDA Board (Section 2[b]).

Sectoral Committees and Assembly

  • The Council creates various Sectoral Committees to assist the Council (Section 2[c]).
  • Sectoral Committees include private sector and government membership (Section 2[c]).
  • Sectoral Committees collate and analyze sectoral information and statistics for the annual regional development report (Section 2[c][i]).
  • Sectoral Committees assist the Council in translating national development goals and policies into specific sectoral objectives (Section 2[c][ii]).
  • Sectoral Committees coordinate all sectoral planning and programming activities of local governments and sectoral line agencies in the region (Section 2[c][iii]).
  • Section 3 creates a Regional Consultative Assembly in every region as a deliberative and consultative body to advise, assist, support, and cooperate with the Council.
  • The Assembly is composed of members of the Regional Development Council and its sectoral committees, heads of other national government agencies in the region, and (upon invitation) representatives of non-government organizations, sectarian organizations, and the academe nominated by those entities (Section 3[a]).
  • The Assembly meets as often as necessary but not less than once every semester (Section 3[a]).
  • The Assembly serves as a forum for ideas, suggestions, and recommendations on regional development, including priorities for development plans, programs, and activities (Section 3[b][i]).
  • The Assembly provides indicators of sectoral requirements for regional development to guide the Council in drafting development plans, programs, and projects (Section 3[b][ii]).
  • The Assembly advises on proposed regional development plans, investment programs, and regional budget proposals (Section 3[b][iii]).
  • The Assembly provides assistance and support to approved regional development plans, programs, and projects, including generating congressional support for proposed annual budgets to carry out approved programs and projects (Section 3[b][iv]).

Chairmanship, staffing, and budgeting

  • Section 4 requires the Council to nominate three members to the President, with at least one each from the chairmanship of the Council to serve as the basis for the Presidential appointment of the Chairman.
  • The President appoints the Chairman of the Council based on the Council’s nomination under Section 4.
  • The Regional Director of the NEDA Secretariat serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Council (Section 4).
  • The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council are the ex-officio Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively, of the Assembly (Section 4).
  • The Development Budget Coordination Committee of the NEDA Board modifies the budget preparation process and issues guidelines to provide greater autonomy to the Council in its programs and projects consistent with regional, provincial, and municipal development plans and national priorities (Section 7).
  • The Regional Office of the NEDA Secretariat serves as the principal technical staff of the Council and the Assembly in the respective regions (Section 8).
  • The Council and the Assembly may request regional offices of various national government agencies to provide technical support required for effective discharge of their duties (Section 8).

Powers of the Chairman and implementing rules

  • The Chairman presides over meetings of the Council and the Assembly (Section 6[a]).
  • The Chairman may request any agency, any individual member of the Council, any sectoral committee, or any instrumentality attached to the Council to perform functions as the Chairman deems necessary (Section 6[a]).
  • The Chairman may accept, for the Council, donations, contributions, grants, bequests, or gifts in cash or in kind from foreign governments, international offices, private entities, or individuals for purposes relevant to coordinating and planning in regional development (Section 6[b]).
  • The Chairman calls the attention of implementing agencies to implementation problems with the end in view of instituting corrective measures (Section 6[c]).
  • The Chairman supervises the monitoring of implementation of major development programs, projects, and activities (Section 6[d]).
  • When called upon, the Chairman represents the region in Cabinet meeting and budget review activities at the national level (Section 6[e]).
  • The Chairman directs the formulation of a comprehensive regional development plan and preparation of a system of investment programming priorities for the region (Section 6[f]).
  • The Chairman submits to the President through the NEDA Board regional plans, regional investment programs, annual development reports, and other documents on the region as approved by the Council (Section 6[g]).
  • The Chairman creates ad hoc committees as required (Section 6[h]).
  • The Chairman directs and supervises all activities of the Council (Section 6[i]).
  • The Chairman performs other functions and duties as directed by the President (Section 6[j]).
  • Section 9 authorizes the NEDA Board to promulgate necessary rules and regulations to implement the Executive Order.

Geographic limits and effectivity

  • Section 5 provides that the Executive Order does not apply to the autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and in the Cordilleras.
  • Section 10 states the Executive Order takes effect immediately.

Analyze Cases Smarter, Faster
Jur helps you analyze cases smarter to comprehend faster, building context before diving into full texts. AI-powered analysis, always verify critical details.

About Privacy Terms