[ MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 166, August 21, 1997 ]

DIRECTING THE FORMULATION OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE 21st CENTURY



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WHEREAS, Section 9 of the 1987 Constitution mandates the central planning agency of the government to coordinate the preparation of national socio-economic development plans;

WHEREAS, there is a need to sustain the economic gains that the Philippines has achieved in the past five years, and to pole-vault the Philippines to the twenty-first century;

WHEREAS, there is a need to ensure economic stability and consistency of government policies and programs;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order that:

SECTION 1.       The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) shall coordinate the preparation of the Philippine National Development Plan for the 21st Century. The Plan shall be formulated in close collaboration with other agencies of the executive branch, the legislative branch and private/non-government sectors.

SECTION 2.       The Plan shall contain at least the following basic elements:

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1.         Development goals and objectives;
2.         Strategy and policy framework to attain such goals and objectives; and
3.         Key measurable targets supportive of broader development objectives.
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SECTION 3.       The framework plan shall have the following chapters:

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1.         The Philippines in Retrospect
2.         The Emerging Global and Domestic Environment
3.         Vision and Framework
4.         Sustainable Human Development
5.         National Agenda for Science and Technology
6.         Infrastructure Development
7.         Agri-Industry Development
8.         Environment and Natural Resources Management
9.         Governance and Institutions Development
10.       National Framework for Regional Development
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SECTION 4.       All departments and agencies and government-owned and/or controlled corporations shall participate in the formulation of the Plan through the planning committees which shall be organized or through their participation in the consultation process. For this purpose, they shall draw inputs from their regional offices, which in turn shall consider regional development goals and strategies as well as the physical framework for the regions and local needs.

SECTION 5.       All sectors of society, public or private, shall be consulted to the fullest to obtain their opinions and positions on matters related thereto.

SECTION 6.       The processes to be followed in the formulation of the plan shall be in accordance with the attached planning guidelines prepared by the NEDA Secretariat. All agencies and instrumentalities of the government are therefore enjoined to follow these guidelines.

SECTION 7.       Funds that are necessary for the attainment of the objectives of this Circular shall be provided by the Department of Budget and Management subject to the usual accounting and auditing requirements.

SECTION 8.       This Circular shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 21 August 1997

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<th width="50%" scope="row"><div align="left">(SGD.) FIDEL V. RAMOS </div></th>
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<th scope="row"><div align="left">President of the Philippines</div></th>
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By the president:

(SGD.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary
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