The RDC XI Expanded Executive Committee, including RDC XI Chairperson, Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy; RDC XI Vice-Chairperson and NEDA XI Regional Director, Maria Lourdes D. Lim, CESO II; DBM XI Regional Director Gary R. Martel

The Regional Development Council XI Expanded Executive Committee endorsed the budget proposals of 47 Agency Regional Offices (AROs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and selected Government-owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) in Davao Region for FY 2022 totaling nearly Php 301 billion. The endorsement resulted from the five-day Online RDC XI Budget Review and Consultation, in line with the mandate of the RDC under Executive Order No. 325 to review the budget proposals of said government entities. Also present during the said activity were representative from the Local Government Units (LGUs) in response to continuing budget reforms that seek to ensure that the national budget priorities are responsive to regional and local needs in a manner that LGU development capacities are strengthened in the process.

The need to strengthen the linkages between the national and local government units was emphasized in view of the Supreme Court ruling on the consolidated Mandanas-Garcia petitions which shall be implemented beginning FY 2022. The said Supreme Court ruling shall increase the Internal Revenue Allotment share of LGUs and facilitate the devolution of services from the National Government Agencies (NGAs) to the LGUs. Consultations, such as the RDC XI Budget Review and Consultation, and coordination between the LGUs and NGAs are necessary to ensure that programs, activities and projects (PAPs) are adequately funded, and public services are delivered responsive to the regional and local needs.

Of the Php 301 billion endorsed budget proposals, around Php 149 billion or approximately 49% shall be allocated for regular programs, activities and projects (PAPs) of agencies under Tier 1 while around Php 123 billion or approximately 51% shall be allotted for new and expanded PAPs under Tier 2. The budget proposals for FY 2022 excluded the PAPs which shall be devolved to the LGUs and are expected to be funded by the LGUs.

The top five agencies with the highest FY 2022 budget proposals are the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) XI with Php 166.3 billion, Department of Education (DepEd) XI with Php 65 billion, Department of Agriculture (DA) XI with Php 18.8 billion, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI with Php 9.5 billion, and Department of Health (DOH) XI with Php 6.1 billion. The budget proposals of these five agencies comprise around 88% of the total budget proposals for Davao Region. The DPWH XI budget proposal, which comprise approximately 55% of the total proposed budgets for the Region, shall be allocated for the construction of national and local roads, national bridges, flyovers, interchanges and underpasses. Under the Convergence and Special Support Program, the DPWH XI budget proposal shall also cover infrastructure support for access roads leading to declared tourism destinations, the Roads Leveraging Linkages of Industry and Trade (ROLL IT) Program, roads for ports and railways, as well as various infrastructures in support of national security.

The new and expanded projects under Tier 2 were ranked following the prioritization criteria set by the RDC XI, which includes prioritization by the agencies, sector relevance, implementation readiness of the PAP and absorptive capacity of agencies. Eleven (11) major capital projects (MCPs) costing more than Php 2.5 billion were endorsed for funding, namely:

  • New School Personnel Positions (DepEd XI)
  • Electrification and Upgrading of Electrical Facilities of Schools (DepEd XI)
  • Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials (DepEd XI)
  • Farm-to-Market Roads (DA XI)
  • New Building Construction – Workshop Buildings, School Learning Resource Center, Laboratories (DepEd XI)
  • Waste to Energy Project (DENR XI)
  • Ensure Safe and Reliable National Road System – National Roads, Diversion Roads, Bypasses, National Bridges and Flyovers (DPWH XI)
  • Protect Lives and Properties Against Major Floods (DPWH XI)
  • Convergence and Special Support Program (DPWH XI)
  • PAP Supporting Executive Order No. 70 (DPWH XI)
  • Cultural Information Hub, Cultural Village and Heritage Development Project (DOT XI)

Other PAPs below Php 2.5 billion that were included in the RDC XI’s top priority list of PAPs in Tier 2 were the following:

  • Construction of Multi-Purpose Building – Covered Court (ATI XI)
  • Pavement/Drainage/Construction of Pathway within ATI Premises (ATI XI)
  • Repair/Rehabilitation and Retrofitting of Classrooms (DepEd XI)
  • Establishment of a Solar Powered Irrigation Facility (BPI)
  • Construction of the Regional Standards and Testing Laboratories (DOST XI)
  • Construction of the DTI XI Regional Office Building at the Davao Regional Government Center (DTI XI)
  • Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay – Livelihood Seeding Program (DTI XI)
  • Construction of the NEDA-RDC XI Governance Complex at the Davao Regional Government Center (NEDA XI)
  • NCIP Region XI Government Building (NCIP XI)
  • Construction of 5-Storey 25 Classroom Administrative/Academic Building in the Compostela Main Campus (CVSC)
  • Construction of Road Network in All Campuses (CVSC)
The RDC XI Budget Review and Consultation Reviewing Panel included the RDC XI Executive Committee, Private Sector Representatives, Endorsing Agencies and Representatives from LGUs

In addition to the previous year’s RDC XI requirements of including in the budget proposals PAPs for Gender and Development, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaption (DRR-CCA) Related PAPs, PAPs for Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities and Youth Development, PAPs for Indigenous People’s Communities, amounting to 1% of their total budget, and PAPs in support to the implementation of Executive Order No. 70 or Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, the concerned agencies were also required to include in their FY 2022 budget proposals PAPs that support the adaption to the “New Normal” and PAPs that support the implementation of the Executive Order No. 114 or the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program. – Kristoffer Kim Boga, NEDA XI