Natural Resources and Environmental Law

Reporter: Joseph Kenneth A. Rellora

Saturday, 5pm to 8pm

Legal Basis of NEDA

Section 9. The Congress may establish an independent economic and planning agency headed
by the President, which shall, after consultations with the appropriate public agencies, various
private sectors, and local government units, recommend to Congress, and implement
continuing integrated and coordinated programs and policies for national development.

Until the Congress provides otherwise, the National Economic and Development Authority shall
function as the independent planning agency of the government.

The National Economic and Development Authority is the country’s premier

socioeconomic planning body, highly regarded as the authority in macroeconomic
forecasting and policy analysis and research. It provides high-level advice to
policymakers in Congress and the Executive Branch.
Responsibilities of NEDA

a. Coordination of such activities as the formulation of policies, plans and programs to

efficiently set the broad parameters for national and sub-national (area-wide, regional and
local development);
b. Review, evaluation, and monitoring of infrastructure projects identified under the
Comprehensive and Integrated Infrastructure Program (CIIP) consistent with the
government’s thrust of increasing investment spending for the growing demand on
quality infrastructure facilities; and
c. Undertaking of short-term policy reviews to provide critical analyses of development
issues and policy alternatives to decision-makers.

ATTACHED AGENCIES

Six government agencies are attached to the NEDA for purposes of administrative supervision.
These are the:
a. Tariff Commission (TC);
b. Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA);

c. National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB);

d. National Statistics Office (NSO);
e. Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC); and
f. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS)
COMPOSITION OF NEDA

It is divided into two: the Board and Secretariat.

NEDA Board is composed of:

• President as Chairman

• the NEDA Director-General as Vice Chairman

• Executive Secretary and Secretaries of Finance, Trade and Industry, Agriculture, Environment
and Natural Resources, Public works and Highways, Budget and Management, Labor and
Employment, Interior and Local Government, Health, Foreign Affairs, Agrarian Reform Science
and Technology Transportation and Communications, Energy

• the Governor of the Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas as members.

HISTORY OF NEDA

• Commonwealth Act No. 2- creation of National Economic Council

• Executive Order No. 94- President of the Philippines as the head of National Economic Council

• Republic Act No. 2699- From “National Economic Council” to “National Development Authority”

• Executive Order No. 8- From “National Development Authority” to “National Economic

Development Authority”. Presidential Economic Staff became part of NEDA.

• Executive Order No. 230- Reorganized and added offices to NEDA (retained by the present
NEDA)

ISSUES OF NEDA

• “NEDA should be abolished”- Negros Occidental Governor Marañon

• Creation of Region 6-B separating Negros Occidental & Negros Oriental from Western Visayas

• NEDA opposed-creation of a new region isn’t necessary.

KILUSANG MAYO UNO vs. NEDA

FACTS:

In April 13, 2005, President Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo issued Executive Order 420 requiring all
government agencies and government-owned corporations to streamline and harmonize their
Identification Systems. The purposes of the uniform ID data collection and ID format are to reduce costs,
achieve efficiency and reliability and ensure compatibility and provide convenience to the people served
by government entities.
Petitioners allege that EO420 is unconstitutional because it constitutes usurpation of legislative
functions by the executive branch of the government. Furthermore, they allege that EO420 infringes on
the citizen’s rights to privacy.

ISSUE: Whether or not EO 450 usurped legislative functions and violated the citizen’s right to privacy.

HELD:

• The Supreme Court ruled that the petition had no merit. The said order only applies to
government agencies who are already issuing identification cards even before the said order
was implemented.

• Article VII of the Constitution also provides for the President to have control to all executive
departments, bureaus and offices.

• EO 450 does not violate the right to privacy since no citizen particularly government employee
have complained upon the showing of information on their identification cards.