EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 257, December 15, 2003

CREATING A REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (RDC) UNDER

WHEREAS, regional development is a means to promote national growth and countryside development;

WHEREAS, it is a priority of the government to continue addressing disparities in regional development and promote equitable allocation of resources among regions;

WHEREAS, to effectively address the critical regional and local development needs, there is a need for a coordinated effort at the national level that shall strengthen the linkages between national and regional/local planning, programming, budgeting and implementation;

WHEREAS, it is imperative that spatial implications of policies are adequately in considered in national development policy formulation;

WHEREAS, there is a need for an inter-agency body at the national level shall coordinate and integrate regional developments efforts of the government to ensure harmony and effective implementation at the regional and local levels;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Executive Order No. 230, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is primarily responsible for the formulation of continuing, coordinated and fully integrated social and economic policies, plans and programs both at the national and regional levels

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Creation of a NEDA Board-Regional Development Committee (NB-RDC). A Regional Development Committee is hereby constituted under the NEDA Board.

Section 2. Composition. The NB-RDC shall be composed of the following:

Chairman: NEDA Director-General

Members: Secretary of Budget and Management

Secretary of Interior and Local Government

Three (3) RDC Chairs one each representing Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao

Four (4) regional development experts from the private sector and academe

Section 3. Functions of the NB-RDC. The NB-RDC shall:

a. formulate and monitor the implementation of policies that reduce regional growth and disparities, promote equitable allocation of resources among regions;

b. serve as clearinghouse for key regional development policy proposals which impact on two or more regions;

c. formulate and monitor the implementation of the framework for regional development of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan;

d. direct the formulation and review guidelines for the regional allocation of agency budgetary resources; and

e. periodically review the viability of the regional configuration of the country and recommend to the President the re-delineation of regions, as may be necessary.

Section 4. Creation of NB-RDC Technical Board. A Technical Board shall be created to provide technical support to the NB-RDC.

Section 5. Composition of the Technical Board. The Technical Board shall be composed of the following:

Chairman: NEDA Deputy Director-General for Regional Development

Members: Three (3) NEDA Regional Directors one each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao

Representatives of the member agencies of the NB-RDC

Four (4) regional development experts from the private sector and academe

Section 6. Funding. Funds needed to carry out the provisions of this Executive Order for the first calendar year shall be drawn from the NEDA budget. Fund requirements for the succeeding years shall be provided in the General Appropriations Act.

Section 7. Implementing Authority of the NEDA Director-General. The NEDA Director-General shall Issue such implementing rules, regulations and other issuances as may be necessary to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the provisions of this Executive Order.

Section 8. Repeal. All previous issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 9. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 15th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Three.

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO

Executive Secretary