A BILL allowing regional development councils (RDC) to participate in the formulation of the national budget was filed at the House of Representatives in August, aiming to boost economic growth through more localized development.

Filed on Aug. 26, House Bill No. 4018 proposes that at least half of the annual proposed budget should fund projects deemed a priority by RDCs to help spur economic growth among regions.

“Despite the rigorous process being undertaken by the RDCs to review and endorse priority programs… there exists no comprehensive tracking of these items… on whether or not what portion of such endorsed lists get included in the National Expenditure Program,” Agusan del Norte Rep. Dale B. Corvera said in the measure’s explanatory note.

He said that regional councils are important to include in the budget formulation, citing its composition of local chief executives and private sector representatives, which know their specific regions’ needs to sustain growth.

“Individual regional monitoring and reporting would show that less than 30% of RDC-endorsed programs, projects and activities get included in the NEP,” said Mr. Corvera.

He recommended that allocations should consider “socio-economic factors such as poverty incidence, population growth, employment generation, economic development, contribution to GDP (gross domestic product),” among others. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

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