Amending the Integrated Reorganization Plan As Amended

September 5, 1975

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 797

AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE INTEGRATED REORGANIZATION PLAN, AS AMENDED

WHEREAS, it is necessary that certain changes be made in the provisions of Parts VI and VII of the Integrated Reorganization Plan relative to the National Economic and Development Authority and Regional Development Council;

WHEREAS, considering that the National Economic and Development Authority is of equal level as other departments of the government, the head thereof should be designated a department secretary;

WHEREAS, with respect to the Regional Development Council, there is a need to enhance the effectiveness thereof as, the focal point for the coordination of regional planning and development; and

WHEREAS, to attain this, it is necessary: (1) to reconstitute the membership of the council by allowing a broadening of its composition whenever needed, and (2) to strengthen the capacity of the chairman of the council for regional leadership by making him an appointee of the President.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution do hereby order and decree as follows: cdt

SECTION 1. Paragraph 8, Article III, Chapter I, Part VI, of the Integrated Reorganization Plan as adopted under Presidential Decree No. 1 and as amended by Presidential Decree Nos. 372 and 622, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"8. There shall be a Director-General with Cabinet rank who shall concurrently be the Secretary of Economic Planning, and such number of Deputy Director-General as the President may determine, with the rank of Undersecretary, who shall serve as the executive and assistant executive officers of the NEDA, respectively. The Director-General shall hold office at the pleasure of the President, while the Deputy Directors-General shall be career officials.

The Secretary of Economic Planning shall preside over meetings of the NEDA Board in the absence or inability of the Chairman to preside over the same.

Whenever the Director-General is able to perform his duties owing to illness, absence or other cause, or in case of vacancy in the office, the Deputy Director-General designated by the President shall temporarily perform the function of said office."

SECTION 2. Paragraph 3, Article II, Chapter I of Part VII is amended to read as follows:

"3. The regional development council shall be composed of the governors of the provinces and mayors of chartered cities comprising the region; the regional directors, of the Bureau of Agricultural Extension and Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture; the regional director of the Bureau of Public Works of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications; the regional director of the Departments of Agrarian Reform, Public Highways, Labor, Education and Culture, Health, Social Welfare, and Local Government and Community Development; the general managers of the regional and sub-regional development authorities existing in the region, if any; and a representative of the National Economic and Development Authority; Provided, however, That the regional council may be appropriate resolution accept other regional directors as regular members of the council and the executive committee. Provided, further, That regional directors who are not members, of the Council shall be authorized to attend the meetings of and participate in the deliberations of the council whenever matters involving their respective functional jurisdictions are included in the agenda of the council, in which case the council shall extend the necessary invitation for the regional directors concerned to attend."

SECTION 3. Paragraph 4, Article II, Chapter I of Part VII is amended to read as follows:

"4. The President shall designate the Chairman of the council from among the provincial governors and city mayors who are members of the council, except the regional commissioners for Regions IX and XII respectively shall continue to be chairman of the council in their respective regions pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 742. The Chairman so designated shall serve as such at the pleasure of the President. The Chairman shall provide the necessary leadership in the coordination of regional planning and development in his respective region. He is authorized to receive additional compensation and/or honorarium and allowances payable from NEDA funds at such rate as may be determined by the NEDA Director-General. cd i

SECTION 4. Paragraph 7, Article II, Chapter I of Part VII is amended to include the regional director of the Department of Agrarian Reform in the membership of the Executive Committee of the regional development council.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 5th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five.