Section 36Sec./Art. 36

Regional Development Council (RDC). - Without prejudice to the powers vested in the President by Article X, Section 14 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the RDCs, established pursuant to Executive Order No. 325, series of1996, shall continue to operate and shall be the regional counterparts of the ED Council. To strengthen the linkage between national and subnational planning, budgeting, and investment programming, and to accelerate the economic and social development of the regions, the RDCs shall be vested with the following powers and functions:

(a) Coordinate and lead the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the RDPs, regional physical plans or regional spatial development frameworks, RDIPs and special development plans, including the formulation of policy recommendations;

(b) 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;

(c) Implement an action agenda to operationalize the RDPs at the local level;

(d) Review and prioritize PAPs that support the RDP, as contained in the RDIP, and endorse to the national government those requiring funding support;

(e) 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;

(f) Promote and direct the inflow and allocation of private investments in the region to support regional development objectives, policies, and strategies;

(g) Review and endorse national plans, programs, and projects proposed for implementation in the regions;

(h) 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 guarantee, or national government budget appropriations or subsidies, among others;

(i) 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;

(j) 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;

(k) Review and approve masterplans, such as those for metropolitan areas and river basins;

(l) Pursue capacity building of LGUs on socio-economic planning, investment programming, project development, and monitoring and evaluation; and

(m) Perform other related functions and activities necessary to promote and sustain the socio-economic development of the regions.

Each RDC shall be composed of:

(1) Provincial Governors;

(2) City Mayors;

(3) Mayors of municipalities designated as provincial capital;

(4) Provincial chapter presidents of the league of municipalities;

(5) Regional heads of DEPDev, BSP, CHED, DAR, DA, DBM, DepEd, DOE, DENR, DFA, DOF-Bureau of Local Government Finance, DOH, DHSUD, DICT, DILG, DMW, DOLE, DPWH, DOST, DSWD, DOT, DOTr, DTI, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA);

(6) Other agencies that the RDCs deem critical to their respective regions; and

(7) Private sector representatives who shall comprise one-fourth (1/4) of the regular membership of the RDC.

The President shall appoint the chairperson and co-chairperson of each RDC. The RDC, through a majority of its members, shall nominate at least two (2) local chief executives who are ex officio members and two (2) private sector representatives from whom the President shall select and appoint the RDC chairperson and co-chairperson: Provided, That if the chairperson is from the government sector, the co-chairperson shall be selected from the private sector; and if the chairperson is from the private sector, the co-chairperson shall be selected from the government sector.

Regional directors of national government agencies in the region shall not be included in the selection of nominees for chairperson and co-chairperson.

The President may appoint a chairperson and co-chairperson who is not among the nominees of the RDC but is a permanent member of the RDC: Provided, That if the chairperson is from the government sector, the co-chairperson shall be selected from the private sector, the co-chairperson shall be selected from the private sector; and if the chairperson is from the private sector, the co-chairperson is from the private sector, the co-chairperson shall be selected from the government sector.

The DEPDev Regional Director shall serve as the ex officio vice chairperson. The Regional Office of the DEPDev shall serve as the Secretariat of the RDC.

Subject to Article X, Section 14 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the President of the Philippines may revise the membership and composition of the RDCs whenever necessary for the effective performance of their functions.ℒαwρhi৷

ARTICLE V

TRANSITORY AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS