THE PHILIPPINE STAR

WEDNESDAY I FEBRUARY 12, 2O2O

Bill turning NEDA

into Cabinet'level agency
passes House committee
subnational plans.
"I think what is more important that
The House committee on economic will be changed is the capacity build-
affairs yesterday approved the bill ing to-cover ever the local government
that will turn th6 Nitional Economic units," said Edillon'
ur,J D".rulop-"nt Authority (NEDA) After approval by the economic a{-
into a Cabiiet-level department with fairs committee, the bill will be tackled
greater powers over iocioeconomic by the aPProPriations. committee to
the implications onthe na-
it"""i"! activities and increased tliresh-out tional budget.
resources.
The bilt, also known as the "Eco- Edillon said tlre bill shotld have no
.ro-i"t".ti n""elopment Planning difficulfy passing the scrutiny in the
Act of 2020," authored by Albay Senate.
Rep. Joey Salceda, will turir NEOA' . "The Senate, they actually.want this'
intio ihe'Department of EconoSr- They're receptive," said Edillon' . .,
ics and Deielbprnent Planniig Transforming NEDA into a full
(DEDP), which iryitt serve as thi Cabinetlevel department entails the
countrv's primary agency for socio- expansi.on of its regional operations to
economic planniirg i-.1
^^^-^'j.r.'-r.--ri.- and i^-."r"'a''r in;ludp morc
investment include more local olanners.
rgfammlng.
programming. The DEDP will be under the Office
N"EDA UnJersectetary Ros€marie of the Secretary of Economics -and
EdiIIon said as iuch, NI1DA will en- Development Planning which will be
sure that all sectoral plans.are aligned assisted by the Econ-omics and De-
De,relopmeniPlan velopment Planning Council (EDPC)
Philiooine DeveloPment
with the Philippine
(PDP). whi.h iq
whiih eouivalent of the current
is the equiva'lent
export devetop-
mav include expoft
These may develop- l\
NEDA
EIJA Board.
Doaro.
ment Dlan
plan amonq
among orners thdt r\ 'ill be
others rndr Like the NEDA Board, the EDPC
Ji.".tiy.eul"w"a"and harmonized by
- will be chaired by the president with
nonn",.,;+t
DEDP +L^ pnp
with the PDP Secretarv of Economics and Vice
the Secretaty
"it's to make sure that all sectoral Chair. It will include the principals pals of
olans are alisned with the PDP. At the agencies chairing the committees of
ihe start, we
"*ill already be provid- the council, as well as the chairperson
ine the suidelines and standaids and of the Union of Local Authorities of
ihE" o"!" their plans are done, there the Philippines, and the central bank
will be a review by us," Edillon told governor," Agencies that will be attached to
reporters yesterday'
syitem also seeks to strengthen the DEDR meanwhile, will remain
^This

the linkages between national and the same.

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