The House Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday endorsed for plenary approval a measure abolishing the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), and replaces the existing socioeconomic planning body with the proposed Department of Economics and Development Planning (DEDP).
This after the committee, chaired by AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin, approved substitute bill to HB 79 of Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, HB 1310 of Deputy Speaker Weslie Gatchalian and HB 4693 of Tarlac Rep. Victor Yap.
“Members of the committee recognized that we should further strengthen Neda and [it more] teeth. The proposal will make Neda, not as a mere independent body, but also as a policy-maker that has more substantial influence in decision-making of the regional development council and all other agencies,” Garin said.
For his part, Salceda said the proposal seeks to institutionalize a new and truly independent department that will implement long term, continuing, integrated, and coordinated programs and policies for national development.
The bill failed to become a law during 17th Congress due to lack of time.
In his explanatory note, Salceda said the bill would also enhance decentralization and strengthen the autonomy of units within the various regions of the country to accelerate their economic and social growth and development.
“Distressed communities will thus be empowered to revitalize, expand, and upgrade their physical infrastructures to attract new industries, encourage business expansion in the countryside, diversify local economics, and generate or retain long-term private sector jobs and investments,” he said.
The bill said DEDP shall be the country’s primary agency that shall direct the government’s planning and investment programming processes toward sustainable and inclusive economic growth; equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth; and increased productivity.
As such, it shall formulate the country’s continuing, integrated, and coordinated policies, plans, and programs for development; foster a culture of planning across all government organizations; ensure the vertical and horizontal alignment and coherence of national and subnational policies, plans, programs, and projects; ensure alignment of appropriations for programs with national and subnational development plans toward optimal use of financial resources; and oversee the country’s public investment program.
The bill also institutionalizes Neda as a lead integrator of economic development programs and policies to facilitate the planning, collaboration, and coordination among the relevant government agencies and improve access to national program information, data, and funding opportunities, support research of leading edge, world-class economic development practices and information dissemination efforts.
It also ensures that economic resources are aligned and invested in support of identified and well-defined timely strategies and projects in non-duplicative activities.
Under the measure, the agency shall generate and provide impartial, objective, and evidence-based analyses and recommendations for the socioeconomic betterment of the nation, particularly to the President, Congress, and Filipinos in general.
The Secretary of Economics and Development Planning, who shall serve as the country’s Chief Economist, shall head the DEDP.
The Office of the Secretary of Economics and Development Planning shall consist of at least four undersecretaries and eight assistant secretaries.
The bill said agencies currently attached to the Neda shall hereafter be attached to DEDP and shall continue to operate and function in accordance with their respective charters, laws, or orders creating them, except as otherwise provided in this proposal, the Administrative Code of 1987, and subsequent laws.
The following agencies shall be attached to DEDP: Philippine Institute for Development Studies; Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency; Philippine Statistics Authority; Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute; Commission on Population and Development; Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines and Tariff Commission.
Also, the bill said the DEDP shall serve as the principal secretariat of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.
The measure also mandates the DEDP to formulate the long-term development framework, which is a high-level and broad strategy spanning 25 years that shall guide the nation toward sustainable growth and development.
It also shall serve as a tool to coordinate, guide, and inform the preparation and consideration of future, more detailed national and subnational development plans, national and subnational public investment programs, and sectoral and inter-sectoral plans and programs. It shall embody the development goals and milestones to serve as basis for the overall direction of government policies, programs, and projects across political administrations.
The bill added DEDP shall also formulate the National Framework for Physical Planning (NFPP), which shall provide policies and principles to achieve efficient settlement, production, service delivery systems, and sustainable use of land and other physical resources in the country.
The measure said the DEDP, in consultation with public agencies, civil society organizations, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, academe, private sector, and local government units, shall formulate within six months from the assumption of office of the President a national economic and development blueprint, known as the Philippine Development Plan.
The DEDP shall also direct and oversee the government’s investment programming process to ensure that the plans are translated into programs and projects by prescribing standards and guidelines, as well as compliance and accountability mechanisms, especially considering the results of relevant evaluation studies and conforming to the NFPP and Regional Spatial and Physical Framework.
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