A. RDC XI as the Primary Development Body of Davao Region
The Regional Development Council is the highest planning and policy-making body for socio-economic development in the region and serves as the counterpart of the DEPDev Economy and Development Board at the subnational level.
It is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region. It also 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 in the region.
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.”
The RDC was reorganized through Executive Order No. 308, issued on November 5, 1987, to make it more effective in carrying out its constitutional mandate. 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.
More recently, Executive Order No. 82, Series of 2025, strengthens the RDCs by refining their mandate to improve interagency collaboration, streamline development planning, and accelerate infrastructure and socioeconomic programs in line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP). The PDP, guided by AmBisyon Natin 2040, integrates RDCs as key players in achieving inclusive growth. Additional sectoral laws and policies further empower RDCs to oversee multi-stakeholder initiatives, ensuring that regional development remains responsive, equitable, and legally grounded.
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 (BPH), 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 increased the RDC XI membership to forty- four (44) agencies.
The historic 1986 EDSA revolution prompted all RDCs to virtually cease activities. Southern Mindanao then faced many challenges fueled by the Revolution and changes in the political front. To address these challenges, Southern Mindanao constituted its own Regional Development Task Force (RDTF) to take over the responsibilities of the inactive RDC. Headed by Atty. Jesus V. Ayala from the private sector, the RDTF was a dynamic organization composed of individuals from both the government and private sectors. The RDTF took it 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.
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.
D. Powers and Functions of the Council
Per its mandate, the Council has the following duties and functions:
- Coordinate and set the direction of all socio-economic development efforts in the region in line with national policies and priorities, as well as lead the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the regional development plans (RDPs), regional physical plans or regional spatial development frameworks, regional development investment programs (RDIPs), and special development plans, including the formulation of policy recommendations;
- Review and integrate into the RDP, the relevant features of approved development plans of provinces and highly urbanized and independent component cities, line agencies, SUCs, GOCCs, and special development authorities in the region as well as national development plans or master plans concerning regional development;
- Implement an action agenda to operationalize the RDPs at the local level;
- Review and prioritize PAPs that support the RDP, as contained in the RDIP, and endorse to the national government those requiring funding support;
- Review and endorse to the national government the annual budgets of government agencies or instrumentalities in the region, such as, but not limited to, agency regional offices, SUCs, 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;
- As may be required by the ICC or by existing laws, rules, and regulations, review and endorse projects of national government agencies and those of LGUs requiring national government financial exposure which may come in the form of guarantees, or national government budget appropriations or subsidies, among others;
- Initiate and coordinate the identification and formulation of priority inter-LGU and special development projects, and oversee their implementation in coordination with the concerned agencies and LGUs;
- Coordinate and lead the monitoring and evaluation of major projects undertaken by national government agencies, GOCCs, and special development authorities, as well as LGU projects funded by the national government;
- Review and approve masterplans, such as those for metropolitan areas and river basins;
- Pursue capacity building of LGUs on socio-economic planning, investment programming, project development, and monitoring and evaluation; and
- Perform other related functions and activities necessary to promote and sustain the socio-economic development of the regions.
E. Structure of RDC XI
Based on EO No. 82, as amended, the diagram below presents the structure of the RDC XI:
F. Composition of RDC XI
The RDC XI is composed of 18 local chief executives (LGUs) and 29 regional line agencies representing the government sector and comprising 75 percent of the full council; private sector representatives that shall be one-fourth (1/4) of the full council for any given term; and special non-voting members (SNVMs). The updated composition and PSR Sector slots were approved by the Council through RDC XI Resolution No. 4, series of 2025.
The breakdown of the membership composition is as follows:
- LGUs
- All provincial governors (5 provinces)
- All city mayors (6 cities)
- Mayors of municipalities designated as provincial capitals (2 municipalities)
- All provincial chapter presidents of the League of Municipalities (5 provinces)
- Government Agencies
Regional heads of the following agencies:
- Department of Economy, Planning, and Development XI;
- Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Mindanao Regional Office;
- Commission on Higher Education XI;
- Department of Agrarian Reform XI;
- Department of Agriculture XI;
- Department of Budget and Management (DBM) XI;
- Department of Education XI;
- Department of Energy-Mindanao Field Office;
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI;
- Department of Foreign Affairs Consular Office Davao ;
- Bureau of Local Government Finance XI;
- Department of Health XI;
- Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development XI;
- Department of Information and Communications Technology XI;
- Department of the Interior and Local Government XI;
- Department of Migrant Workers XI;
- Department of Labor and Employment XI;
- Department of Public Works and Highways XI;
- Department of Science and Technology XI;
- Department of Social Welfare and Development XI;
- Department of Tourism XI;
- Department of Transportation;
- Department of Trade and Industry XI;
- Cooperative Development Authority XI;
- National Commission on Indigenous Peoples XI;
- Office of Civil Defense XI;
- Technical Education and Skills Development Authority XI;
- Philippine Information Agency XI; and
- Presidential Management Staff
- Private Sector Representatives
- Labor
- Infrastructure
- Agriculture
- Energy
- Indigenous People
- Environment and Natural Resources
- PWDs/Senior Citizens
- Youth/Women/Children
- Urban Poor/Consumer Group
- Mining
- Academe
- Safety, Security and Disaster Resiliency
- Tourism and Hospitality
- Logistics
- Health
- Information and Communications Technology
List of RDC XI Officers
GOV. EDWIN I. JUBAHIB
RDC XI Chairperson
DEPDev – RDC XI Center, SPED Road, Bangkal,
Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines, 8000
PSR ARTURO M. MILAN
RDC XI Co-Chairperson
DEPDev – RDC XI Center, SPED Road, Bangkal,
Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines, 8000
Email Address: dro11@depdev.gov.ph
DIRECTOR PRISCILLA R. SONIDO, CESO III
RDC XI Vice – Chairperson
Regional Director, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development XI
DEPDev – RDC XI Center, SPED Road, Bangkal,
Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines, 8000
Email Address: dro11@depdev.gov.ph
Contact No.: (082) 296-0160 to 64 / (082) 224-8987 | Fax No.: (082) 296-0163