President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order (EO) 82 strengthening regional development councils (RDC) to accelerate socio-economic development across all regions.

According to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin who signed EO 82 by the authority of the President, this follows the Philippine Development Plan 2025-2028, which highlights the importance of supporting the thrust towards regional development and rationalizing government functions, systems, mechanisms in achieving deep social and economic transformation in the country.

He noted that it is crucial that the RDC be further reorganized.

“It is imperative to further reorganize the RDCs to strengthen their role in the pursuit of regional socio-economic development,” he said.

With this, the reorganization will include regional heads of national government agencies in addition to provincial governors, local chief executives and private sector representatives.

National government agencies include the National Economic and Development Authority, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Agrarian Reform, Departments of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Health, Education, Energy, Interior and Local Government, Human Settlements and Urban Development, Information and Communications Technology, Public Works and Highways, Science and Technology, Labor and Employment, Migrant Workers, Office of Civil Defense, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Philippine Information Agency.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) are directed to issue guidelines for the strengthening of regional investment programming and budgeting.

Government agencies are also directed to prioritize key RDC-endorsed programs, projects, and activities in their investment programs and annual budget, and provide feedback through their regional offices to the RDCs on their actions relative thereto.

RDC officials, composed of a Chairperson and a Co-Chairperson will be appointed by the President and will serve a fixed term of three years, coinciding with the regular term of local elective officials. They can also serve a maximum of three consecutive terms.

Upon implementing this EO, NEDA shall issue the necessary guidelines within 60 working days of the effectivity. Funding requirements of the EO will be charged against the current and available appropriations NEDA as identified by the DBM.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the National Capital Region are not included in the effectivity of the Order pursuant to RA 11054 or the Organic Law of BARMM and RA 7924.