FUNCTIONS AND ORGANIZATION

                                              

The powers and functions of the NEDA reside in the NEDA Board. It is the country's premier social and economic development planning and policy coordinating body.

The Board is composed of the President as chairman, the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning and NEDA Director-General as vice-chairman, and the following as members: the Executive Secretary and the Secretaries of Finance, Trade and Industry, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Public Works and Highways, Budget and Management, Labor and Employment, and Interior and Local Government.

Pursuant to Sec. 4 of EO 230, empowering the President to modify the membership of the Board whenever deemed necessary, the following members have been added:

The Secretaries of Health, Foreign Affairs, and Agrarian Reform (per Memorandum Order No. 164, dated 21 March 1988); the Secretary of Science and Technology (per Memorandum Order No. 235, dated 19 May 1989); and the Secretary of Transportation and Communications (per Memorandum Order No. 321, dated 26 September 1990). In addition, the Secretary of Energy (per R.A. No. 7638, approved Dec. 9, 1992) and the Deputy Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (per Section 124 of R.A. No. 7653, approved June 14, 1993) have been added as members of the NEDA Board.

Assisting the NEDA Board in the performance of its functions are six cabinet-level interagency committees. These are as follows:

1. Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC)

The DBCC is composed of the Secretary of Budget and Management, as chairman; the Director-General of the NEDA Secretariat, as co-chairman; and the Executive Secretary, Secretary of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines, as members. The DBCC recommends to the President the following:

Level of annual govemment expenditures and the ceiling of government spending for economic and social development, national defense, and government debt service;

Proper allocation of expenditures for each development activity between current operating expenditures and capital outlays; and;

Amount set to be allocated for capital outlays broken down into the various capital or infrastructure projects.

2. Infrastructure Committee (InfraCom)

The InfraCom is composed of the Director-General of the NEDA Secretariat, as chairman; Secretary of Public Works and Highways, as cochairman; and the Executive Secretary and Secretaries of Transportation and Communications, Finance, and Budget and Management, as members. The InfraCom does the following:

Advises the President and the NEDA Board on matters concerning infrastructure development, including highways, airports, seaports and shore protection; railways; power generation, transmission and distribution; telecommunications; irrigation, flood control and drainage, water supply and sanitation; national buildings for government offices; hospitals and related buildings; state colleges and universities elementary and secondary school buildings; and other public works;

Coordinates the activities of agencies, including government-owned or controlled corporations involved in infrastructure development; and

Recommends to the President government policies, programs and projects concerning infrastructure development consistent with national development objectives and priorities.

3. Investment Coordination Committee (ICC)

The ICC consists of the Secretary of Finance, as chairman; the NEDA Director-General, as cochairman; and the Executive Secretary, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Budget and Management and the Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines, as members. The ICC has the following functions:

Evaluates the fiscal, monetary and balance of payments implications of major national projects, and recommends to the President the timetable of their implementation on a regular basis;

Advises the President on matters related to the domestic and foreign borrowings program; and

Submits a status of the fiscal, monetary and balance of payments implications of major national projects.

4. Social Development Committee (SDC)

The Committee is composed of the Secretary of Labor and Employment, as chairman; the Director-General of the NEDA Secretariat as cochairman; and the Executive Secretary, and the Secretaries of Education, Culture and Sports, Health, Interior and Local Government, Agrarian Reform, Agriculture, Social Welfare and Development, and Budget and Management, as members.

The SDC performs the following functions:

Advises the President and the NEDA Board on matters concerning social development, including education, manpower, health and nutrition, population and family planning, housing, human settlements, and the delivery of other social services.

Coordinates the activities of government agencies concerned with social development; and

Recommends appropriate policies, programs and projects consistent with the national development objectives.

5. Committee on Tariff and Related Matters (CTRM)

The CTRM is composed of the Secretary of Trade and Industry, as chairman, with the Director-General of the NEDA, as co-chairman. Its members are the Executive Secretary, the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation and Communications, Environment and Natural Resources, Budget and Management, and Finance, the Governor of the Central Bank, and the Chairman of the Tariff Commission.

The CTRM does the following:

Advises the President and the NEDA Board on Tariff and related matters and on the effects on the country of various international developments;

Coordinates agency positions and recommends national positions for international economic negotiations; and

Recommends to the President a continuous rationalization program for the country's tariff structure.

6. Regional Development Committee (RDCom)

The RDCom was created by virtue of EO 257 issued on 15 December 2003. It is composed of the NEDA Director-General , as Chair. Its member are the Secretaries of the Deparment of Budget and Management and of the interior and Local Government, RDC Chair or Co-chair each coming from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and four (4) regional development expert from the private sector and academe.

The RDCom performs the following functions:

Formulates and monitors the implementation of policies that reduce regional growth disparities, and promote rational allocation of resources among regions;

Serve as clearinghouse for key regional development policy/programs proposals which impact on two or more regions;

Formulates and monitor implementation of the framework for regional development of the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan;

Directs the formulaton and review guidelines for the regional allocation of agency budgetary resources;

Periodically reviews the viability of the regional configuration of the country and recommend to the President the redelineation of regions, as may be necessary; and

Periodically reviews the composition, structure and operating mechanism of the Regional Development Councils and recommend to the President changes as may be necessary.

NEDA BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

Created under Memorandum Order No. 222 (dated 26 July, 1994, the NEDA Board Executive Committee resolves policy issues without the necessity of convening the entire NEDA Board. It facilitates the decision-making process at the NEDA Board to ensure that projects or issues requiring NEDA Board discussion and decision are immediately acted upon.

The NEDA Board ExCom is composed of the Executive Secretaryas Chairman; the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning and NEDA Director-General as Co-Chairman; Chairpersons of the Development Budget Coordination Committee, Investment Coordination Committee, Committee on Tariff and Related Matters, Social Development Committee; CoChairperson of the Infrastructure Committee; and the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

NEDA SECRETARIAT

The NEDA Secretariat serves as the research and technical support arm of the NEDA Board. It also provides technical staff support and assistance, including the conduct of studies and formulation of policy measures and other recommendations on the various aspects of development planning and policy formulation, and coordination, evaluation and monitoring of plan implementation.

The Secretariat is headed by a Director-General who carries the rank and title of Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning and Development and who exercises general supervision and control over the technical and administrative personnel of the Secretariat.

The NEDA Director-General is assisted by three deputy directors-general, each of whom is responsible, respectively, for the three major offices of NEDA, the National Development Office (NDO), the Regional Development Office (RDO) and Central Support Office (CSO).

Assisting the deputy directors-general in their task of coordinating and supervising their respective Offices are three assistant directors-general.

Each of the Central Office Staffs is headed by a staff director, assisted by an assistant director, while each Regional Office is headed by a regional director, assisted by an assistant regional director.

The three major Offices comprising the NEDA Secretariat, and the bureau-level Staffs under each are as follows:

National Development Office (NDO):

The NDO provides technical staff support to the NEDA Board in coordinating the formulation of national and sectoral policies, plans and programs. It also monitors macroeconomic and sectoral performance, prepares the necessary economic reports, and conducts economic and development studies on macrolevel plans and policies.

1.1 National Planning and Policy Staff (NPPS)

Provides technical staff support in coordinating the formulation of national development plans and policies;

Evaluates and conducts studies on macrolevel plans and policies;

Develops and applies macroeconomic models and other statistical tools for planning, forecasting and policy analysis; and

Monitors macroeconomic performance and prepares economic reports.

1.2 Agriculture Staff (AS)

Provides technical staff support in coordinating the formulation of national plans and policies for the agricultures, natural resources and agrarian reform sectors;

Evaluates and conducts studies on policiesin the said sectors;

Provides technical staff support in the evaluation and review of proposed programs and projects in the said sectors;

Provides technical assistance in program and project identification, development and evaluation; and

Monitors sectoral performance.

1.3 Trade, Industry and Utilities Staff (TIUS)

Provides technical staff support in coordinating the formulation of national plans and policies for the trade, industry and tourism sectors;

Evaluates and conducts studies on trade and industrial policies, including those involving the regulation and pricing of public utilities;

Provides technical staff support in the evaluation of proposed industrial projects involving significant government exposure;

Assists in coordinating the formulation of national approaches to international relations and cooperation in trade and other economic matters;

Assists in the review and evaluation of the various investment priorities, plans and applicable investment incentives; and

Monitors sectoral performance.

1.4 Infrastructure Staff (IS)

Provides technical staff support in coordinating the formulation of physical plans for the transportation, communications, water, power and energy, and social infrastructure sectors;

Evaluates and conducts studies on policies in the said sectors;

Provides technical staff support in the evaluation and review of proposed programs and projects in the said sectors;
Provides technical assistance in program and project identification, development and evaluation; and

Monitors sectoral performance.

1.5 Social Development Staff (SDS)

Provides technical staff support in coordinating the formulation of national policies and plans in education and manpower development, health and nutrition, family planning, housing, social services, and community organization;

Evaluates and conducts studies on policies covering the said sectors;

Provides technical staff support in the evaluation and review of proposed programs and projects in the said sectors;

Provides technical assistance in program and project identification, development and evaluation; and

Monitors sectoral performance.

1.6 Public Investment Staff (PIS)

Provides technical staff support in the coordination and review of the flow of official development assistance to the country to ensure consistency with national development priorities;

Provides technical staff support in the review of proposed programs and projects on a global basis;

Provides technical staff support in the preparation of a rolling medium-term public investment program, where the sources and uses of funds for priority programs and projects are indicated;

Develops and recommends the criteria and system for evaluating projects; and

Monitors the status of proposed and pipeline projects for possible funding assistance by foreign donor institutions.     Specific functions

2. Regional Development Office (RDO)

The RDO provides technical staff support as may be required by the implementing agencies in the regions. It also monitors regional and interregional development policies; plans and programs ; prepares integrated reports on regional planning; andconducts studies on regional development policies.

2.1 Regional Development Coordination Staff (RDCS)

Provides technical staff support in coordinating the formulation of interregional development policies, plans and programs;

Serves as a link between the Regional Development Councils and the national agencies of government involved in regional planning and program implementation;

Monitors and evaluates the formulation of regional policies, plans and programs by the Regional Development Councils and other agencies of government;

Prepares integrated reports on regional development;

Coordinates with the Regional Development Councils in the preparation of physical and land use plans; and

Conducts studies on regional development policies.

2.2 Project Monitoring Staff (PMS)

Monitors the progress of implementation of approved development programs, based on reports from the central offices of line agencies and the NEDA regional offices;

Identifies bottlenecks and proposes solutions to problems of implementation;

Prepares integrated reports on the status of approved development projects;

Monitors the implementation of ongoing projects, including the utilization of foreign exchange proceeds by these projects;

Provides technical assistance to the NEDA regional offices in project monitoring and assessment; and

Conducts post project evaluation and impact analyses.

2.3 Regional Offices (NROs)

Serves as the technical staff of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the region;
Provides staff assistance to the RDC in the coordination of plan formulation and implementation at the regional level;

Provides staff assistance to implementing agencies in the region in identifying and developing programs and projects;

Evaluates and reviews proposed regional programs and projects for consideration by the RDC;

Monitors and assesses project implementation in the region; and

Coordinates with regional offices of other departments and agencies and with the local government units in the region in the performance of their assigned tasks.

3. CentraI Support Office(CSO)

The CSO provides the NEDA Secretariat technical assistance and support services in the areas of development administration, internal management improvement, legal services, development information, and administrative services.

3.1 Management Staff (MS)

Conducts studies, formulates recommendations and provides technical assistance on development administration matters;

Develops guidelines and provides technical assistance in the preparation, monitoringand assessment of the development administration framework of the national development plan, including the monitoring of administrative reforms and developments in the public sector;

Serves as internal management improvement unit, conducts studies, formulates recommendations and provides technical assistance on organization and management matters; and
Develops and maintains an internal control system within the NEDA Secretariat and monitors and evaluates on a continuing basis the implementation of internal control policies and measures.

3.2 Legal Staff (LS)

Provides legal advice and assistance in the formulation and implementation of development policies, plans and programs;

Provides legal service on operational matters;

Conducts legal research and specialized studies; and

Maintains a data base on and monitors laws, administrative issuances, court decisions, and other legal issuances relative to economic and social development.

  Other related functions:

Secretariat to Philippine Center for Economic Development (PCED) meetings.

Secretariat to the NEDA Board meetings.

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) Ex-Officio Commissioner.

National Housing Authority (NHA) Board member.

3.3 Administrative Staff (AdS)

Develops, implements and updates on a continuing basis a comprehensive and integrated human resources development program for the NEDA Secretariat personnel;

Provides services related to personnel transactions and benefits, and discipline, health and safety services;

Provides financial and accounting services;and

Provides security services and general support services in the areas of records and communications; procurement and property, supply equipment maintenance, utilization and disposal; transport; general utility and housekeeping; and building and office facilities maintenance.

3.4 Information Technology Coordination Staff (ITCS)

Conducts and coordinates the studies, formulates recommendations and provides technical staff support and assistance on information technology (IT);

Develops and coordinates the implementation and maintenance of IT-related information systems in support of NEDA's development planning, policy formulation and other functions and operations;

Coordinates the formulation and implementation of a continuing NEDA IT development activities of NEDA offices and staffs, including its regional offices;

Establishes and maintains a viable information network with other government agencies and instrumentalities for more effective development planning and decision making.

3.5 Development Information Staff (DIS)

Develops and maintains public information programs to meet the requirements of the NEDA and the public;

Prepares press releases and articles for public dissemination and coordinates press briefings and interviews;

Undertakes the preparation and dissemination of NEDA publications and other information materials and provides editorial and other information-related services to the NEDA Secretariat; and

Maintains the NEDA Secretariat library and undertakes the acquisition, cataloguing, maintenance and safekeeping of library materials, and provides circulation, reference and interlibrary

OTHER OFFICES

Two Secretariat units have been created within NEDA to provide technical assistance and secretariat services to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) and the Special Committee on Scholarship (SAS). A unit, the Legislative Liaison Office (LLO), has also been instituted to administer the NEDA Legislative Liaison System (LLS). These units have the following functions:

1.The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) Secretariat.

The LEDAC Secretariat provides technical assistance, administrative support and secretariat services to the Council. The LEDAC Secretariat has the following functions:
Provides technical and administrative support to the Council and its sub-committees, if any;

Determines and prepares the agenda for and the minutes of the Council meetings;

Serves as venue for the initial processing/discussion of issues prior to deliberation by the Council;

Receives and prepares communications pertinent to the work of the Council;

Manages and maintains the official recordsof the Council;
Prepares the annual budget of the Council;

PreparesreportsasreqliiredbytheCouncil; and

Performsotherdutiesasmaybeassigned by the Council.

2.The Scholarship Affairs Secretariat (SAS)

Under the supervision of the Public Investment Staff, the SAS provides technical assistance and secretariat services to the Special Committee on Scholarships (SCS). The SAS has the following functions:

Provides secretariat supportt on the SCS in the planning and programming of scholarship offers received from various donor countries/institutions to ensure relevance of training programs/ courses to th- country's development objectives;

Evaluates, with the assistance of the NEDA sector staffs, foreign scholarship offers, and processes agency nominations; and

Establishes and maintains effective institutional linkages with local representatives of donor countriesand institutions or organizations on foreign scholarship matters.

3.The Legislative Liaison Office (LLO)

The LLO provides assistance in the administration of the NEDA Legislative Liaison System (LLS). The LLO has the following functions:

Establishes the necessary linkage of the NEDA with both Houses of Congress and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO);
Provides technical support to Congressional Committees principally involved with NEDA's major areas of concern; and

Keeps track of economic bills and other proposed legislative measures pertinent to NEDA and its areas of concern and promotes passage of legislation high in NEDA's agenda.

ATTACHED AGENCIES

Six government agencies are attached to the NEDA for purposes of administrative supervision. These are the:

Tariff Commission (TC);
Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA);
National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB);
National Statistics Office (NSO); and
Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC).

Moreover, the,Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) is attached to the NEDA for policy and program coordination or integration.