Title
Strengthening the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development
Law
Executive Order No. 370
Decision Date
Sep 26, 1996
Executive Order No. 370 strengthens the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development, enhancing its role in implementing and coordinating sustainable development efforts through multi-stakeholder involvement and policy formulation.
strengthening
sustainable development
policy formulation

Constitutional and international policy basis

  • The State is mandated to protect and advance the people’s right to a balanced and healthful ecology in accordance with the rhythm and harmony of nature.
  • The Philippines committed to sustainable development by adopting a national conservation strategy for sustainable development for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro.
  • The UNCED adopted a resolution urging creation of a Sustainable Development Commission to evaluate and monitor adherence to agreements and commitments made in Rio, and urged governments to form similar national bodies.
  • The PCSD was created on 01 September 1992 by Executive Order No. 15 to institutionalize the country’s adherence and ensure commitments are implemented, periodically monitored, and coordinated.
  • The PCSD initiated formulation of the Philippine Agenda 21 (PA 21) through collaborative efforts with civil society and capacity support from the United Nations Development Programme (Capacity 21).
  • The PA 21 embodies sustainable development principles of subsidiary (self-governance), consensus building, open access, and multi-stakeholdership.

Strengthened PCSD and leadership

  • The Philippine Council for Sustainable Development is strengthened structurally and functionally under Section 1.
  • The Chairperson of the Council is the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning as NEDA Director-General and Chair of the POPCOM Board of Commissioners under Section 2(1).
  • The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) serves as Vice-Chairperson under Section 2(1).
  • Government members must be regular officers from specified departments with a rank of director or higher, duly deputized to represent their respective secretaries, and committed to the cause of sustainable development under Section 2(2).

Council composition: government and non-government

  • Government sector membership includes regular officers from:
    • Department of Foreign Affairs;
    • Department of Science and Technology;
    • Department of Finance;
    • Department of Agriculture;
    • Department of Public Works and Highways;
    • Department of Education, Culture and Sports;
    • Department of Labor and Employment;
    • Department of Health;
    • Department of Trade and Industry;
    • Department of Interior and Local Government;
    • Department of Social Welfare and Development;
    • Department of Budget and Management;
    • Department of National Defense;
    • Department of Energy;
    • Department of Transportation and Communication;
    • Department of Agrarian Reform under Section 2(2).
  • Civil society holds nine (9) Council members who are selected by their community through a process designed by them, based on commitment to sustainable development concerns under Section 2(3).
  • Civil society members must include major groups comprising: women, youth, farmers, fisherfolks, indigenous people, Moro and Cordillera people, urban poor, persons with disabilities, academe, professionals, media, religious groups, and NGOs under Section 2(3).
  • Labor and business have two (2) representatives each in the Council, with representation decided through a process designed by labor and business under Section 2(4).
  • The Council may invite any government agency or non-government entity as resource person under Section 2(4).

PCSD committees and membership rules

  • Four (4) committees are created under the Council to correspond to the four (4) major areas of concern of the global Agenda 21 under Section 3.
  • Government representatives in these committees must be at least division chiefs in their respective agencies under Section 3.
  • Sub-committees may be created when necessary under Section 3.
  • Each committee may be expanded, reduced, or reconstituted upon the recommendation of the concerned committee and approval by the Council under Section 3.

Committee structures

  • Committee on Social and Economic Dimensions (CSED):
    • Chairman: National Economic and Development Authority
    • Members: Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Finance, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of National Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Education, Culture and Sports, Commission on Population, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, and representatives from business and civil society under Section 3(1).
  • Committee on Conservation and Management of Resources for Development (CCMRD):
    • Chairman: Department of Environment and Natural Resources
    • Members: Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Transportation and Communication, Department of Energy, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of National Defense, National Museum, and representatives from business and civil society under Section 3(2).
  • Committee on Strengthening the Role of Major Groups (CSRMG):
    • Chairman: Department of Interior and Local Government
    • Members: National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Culture and Sports, Department of Tourism, Department of Agrarian Reform, UP Institute of Environment and Science, League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities, League of Barangays, and representatives from business and civil society under Section 3(3).
  • Committee on Means of Implementation (CMI):
    • Chairman: Department of Science and Technology
    • Members: National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Finance, Department of Education, Culture and Sports, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Budget and Management, Commission on Higher Education, Philippine Information Agency, Local Government Academy, and representatives from business and civil society under Section 3(4).

Co-chair and non-government membership

  • Membership in the committees and sub-committees of the Council by members of the non-government community, including civil society, business, and labor, is determined through a process designed by them under Section 3.
  • Each committee includes a Co-chair who must not be from the government sector and is elected by the committee members under Section 3.

Council powers, functions, and coordination

  • The Council reviews and ensures implementation of the Philippines’ commitments in light of UNCED and PA 21 under Section 4(1).
  • The Council establishes guidelines and mechanisms to expand, concretize, and operationalize sustainable development principles embodied in the Rio Declaration, UNCED, Agenda 21, National Conservation Strategy, and PA 21, and incorporates them in preparing the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan at both national and local levels with active participation from the non-government sector and people’s organizations under Section 4(2).
  • The Council formulates policy reforms, programs, and projects; and recommends new legislation responding to continuing and emerging environmental and sustainable development issues and charting future actions under Section 4(3).
  • The Council provides policy advice to appropriate bodies on environment and sustainable development issues of national interest under Section 4(4).
  • The Council institutionalizes mechanisms to ensure linkage among the legislative, executive, local government units, non-governmental organizations, business, and other concerned entities/sectors in formulating policies and decisions on sustainable development concerns under Section 4(5).
  • The Council acts as the coordinating mechanism with the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and actively solicits assistance and cooperation to realize commitments made at UNCED under Section 4(6).
  • The Council reviews and monitors plans, policies, programs, and legislation on sustainable development and recommends mechanisms/strategies to promote efficiency and timeliness of execution under Section 4(7).
  • The Council establishes a networking mechanism linking with local and international organizations involved in sustainable development under Section 4(8).
  • The Council may call on any and all government agencies, resource persons, and other groups as necessary to carry out its functions under Section 4(9).
  • The Council catalyzes the formation and institutionalization of local councils for sustainable development in close coordination with local authorities under Section 4(10).
  • The Council establishes, reorganizes, or abolishes committees of the Council under Section 4(11).
  • The Council performs other acts necessary to carry out its mandated functions and responsibilities under Section 4(12).

Secretariat and budget support

  • The Council is assisted by a Coordinating Secretariat based at NEDA whose composition is determined by the Director-General under Section 5.
  • The Council is also assisted by a Counterpart Secretariat whose composition is determined by the People’s/Non-Government Organization members of the Council under Section 5.
  • A regular line item is provided in the General Appropriations Act under the NEDA budget to cover the Council’s operational requirements subject to prescribed budgetary guidelines under Section 6.

Repeal rule

  • All Executive Orders inconsistent with the provisions of Executive Order No. 370 are repealed or amended accordingly under Section 7.

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