THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (RDC) XI
A. RDC XI as the Primary Development Body of Davao Region
The Regional Development Council (RDC) is the highest policy-making body in the region and serves as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the subnational level. It is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts and serves as the forum where local efforts can be related and integrated with national development activities to ensure sustainable, participatory and equitable development.
The RDC was established to provide a regional planning body to oversee the overall socio-economic development of the region. Its primary task is to coordinate development planning and policy-making and as for Davao Region, NEDA Regional Office XI serves as its’ technical secretariat. As secretariat, the NEDA Regional Office XI provides technical staff and secretariat support to the Council and all its Committees in. The NEDA Regional Director, as head of the RDC Secretariat, manages the technical, administrative and financial operations of the Council.
The NEDA Regional Office XI maintains the RDC XI Website as a way of providing a venue for the stakeholders to interact easily. It serves as a virtual library and information hub where RDC-related information can be stored and retrieved and another form of making the public know about the role, functions and activities of the Council.
B. Legal Bases
RDCs were organized in 1974 through Letter of Instructions (LOI) No. 22, issued on December 31, 1972.
The constitutional foundation of RDCs now rests on Article X, Section 14 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which provides that, “The President shall provide for regional development councils, or other similar bodies composed of local government officials, regional heads of departments and other offices, and representatives from non-government organizations within the region for purposes of administrative decentralization to strengthen the autonomy of units therein and to accelerate the economic and social development of the units in the region.”
To make the RDC more effective in carrying out its constitutional mandate, it was reorganized through Executive Order (EO) 308, issued on November 5, 1987. This marked the prescription of private sector participation in the RDC. Subsequent amendments include EO Nos. 318 (s. 1988), 347 and 366 (s. 1989), 455 (s. 1991) and 505 (s. 1992).
On April 12, 1996 the RDC was again reorganized with the issuance of EO 325 to further strengthen and make it more responsive to new developments in socio-political fields and to ensure a sustainable and broad-based development process. Recognizing labor as a primary social and economic force, EO 384 was subsequently issued on December 7, 1996, thereby making mandatory the labor sector representation in the RDCs.
The regular membership of the council was further expanded in 2002, through EO 143, to include the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), taking cognizance of their role as major stakeholders in the generation of high-level and technical manpower at the regional level.
Administrative Order (AO) 231 issued in 2008, added the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) to the RDC membership.
C. Brief History of RDC XI
The RDC XI was first organized on July 18, 1973 at the USIS Auditorium, C.M. Recto Avenue, Davao City. The council proper had an original membership of nineteen (19). Based on the provisions of LOI 22, the council proper was composed of the governors of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, and the mayors of Davao, Cotabato, and Gen. Santos with Davao City as the regional center; and the regional directors of the Bureau of Agricultural Extension BAEX), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Public Highways (BPW), Department of Education and Culture (DEC), Department of Social Welfare (DSW), Department of Local Government and Community Development (DLGCD), Bureau of Public Works (BPW), Bureau of Labor (BOL), Bureau of Health (BOH) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the general manager of the Mindanao Development Authority. Mayor Luis T. Santos of Davao City was elected as the first chairman of RDC XI.
Ten years into its existence, RDC XI expanded its membership during its meeting on December 16, 1983. The council passed a resolution formalizing the membership of all the regional directors of national government agencies present during that meeting. This made the RDC XI composition balloon to forty-four (44) members.
In 1986, the country saw dramatic events unfold on the political front, prompting the RDCs to virtually cease their activities. Southern Mindanao then faced many challenges and opportunities fueled by the EDSA Revolution. To address these challenges, Southern Mindanao constituted its own Regional Development Task Force (RDTF) to take over the responsibilities of the inactive RDC. The RDTF was a dynamic organization composed of individuals from both the government and private sectors. It took upon itself to synchronize all development efforts in order to re-establish the region’s viability not only as an ideal place to live in, but also a place for trade and investments. The RDTF was headed by Atty. Jesus V. Ayala from the private sector.
To assist the RDTF, various sectoral task forces and their respective technical working groups were constituted. These bodies took the lead in the formulation of sectoral plans, conducted policy studies, coordinated investment programming, identified and developed projects, and monitored and evaluated various programs and projects under the different sectors. At the local level, similar structures were created to ensure continuing development efforts, at the same time establishing a link for coordination with the RDTF at the regional level.
With the issuance of EO 308 in 1987, reorganization activities were undertaken. The provincial/city/municipal development task forces existing then were transformed into local development councils. After a short transition period, RDC XI was fully reconstituted on February 23, 1988.
The Council has the following functions:
- Coordinate the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of short- and long-term regional development plans and investment programs, regional physical framework plans and special development plans, including the formulation of policy recommendations;
- Integrate approved development plans of provinces and cities, line agencies, state universities and colleges, government-owned and -controlled corporations and special development authorities in the region into the regional development plan;
- Review, prioritize and endorse to the national government the annual and multiyear sectoral investment programs of the region for funding and implementation;
- Review and endorse to the national government the annual budgets of agency regional offices, state colleges and universities and special development authorities;
- Promote and direct the inflow and allocation of private investments in the region to support regional development objectives, policies and strategies;
- Review and endorse national plans, programs and projects proposed for implementation in the region;
- As required by the Investment Coordination Committee, review and endorse projects of national government agencies that have impact on the region and projects of LGUs in the region;
- Initiate and coordinate the development, funding and implementation of regional and special development projects such as those involving several agencies or LGUs;
- Coordinate the monitoring and evaluation of development projects undertaken by government agencies, LGUs, state colleges and universities, government-owned and/or -controlled corporations and special development authorities in the region; and
- Perform other related functions and activities as may be necessary to promote and sustain the socioeconomic development in the region, such as:
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- Assist LGUs, when so requested, in the presentation of local development plans and programs and in fulfilling requirements for evaluation of local government projects to be requested for official development assistance (ODA) grant financing;
- Provide capability building assistance to local government officials and staffs, when so requested, in the areas of local governance, fiscal administration and project development and management.
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E. RDC XI Responsibilities
In the exercise of its functions, the council has the following responsibilities:
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- Approve the regional development plan (RDP), the regional physical framework plan (RPFP), the regional development investment program (RDIP) and other special development plans;
- Ensure consistency of local development plans and the regional development plans and priorities, through coordination with local development councils;
- Submit an annual assessment of plan implementation and an integrated report on the annual performance of the economy in the region;
- Ensure the preparation of integrated socio-economic profile of provinces and sub-provincial components which shall be updated after every three years by the local government units and, when requested, provide technical assistance;
- Ensure, through the process of evaluation, that nationally-funded programs and projects in the region have gone through the required consultation at the LGU level, have secured the support of local officials, and conform with the requirements of the ICC in terms of, but not limited to, economic and financial feasibility, social acceptability and technical viability;
- Submit reports on events and occurrences in the region requiring national attention;
- Submit a semestral report on the activities of the council, including an assessment of the participation of its members within (30) days after each semester;
- Identify and prescribe uniform systems, standards, methods and institutional arrangements in the preparation of reports, socioeconomic profiles, plans and programs and other undertakings of the LGUs and/or local development councils;
- Appeal for financial assistance from the LGUs and other entities in support for its activities and projects; and
- Accept donations, contributions, grants, bequests or gifts in cash or in kind from any source and submit report on the availability, utilization and/or disbursement thereof.
Location
List of RDC XI Officers
PSR ARTURO M. MILAN
RDC XI Acting Chairperson
NEDA – RDC XI Center, SPED Road, Bangkal,
Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines, 8000
Email Address: nro11@neda.gov.ph