WHEREAS, it is the established policy of the Government, to promote regional development to achieve economic growth, social justice and equitable distribution of income within and among regions;

WHEREAS, intermediate and smaller cities and their needs for infrastructure and industry have, in the past, been neglected as a focus of national policy and there are striking disparities in the provision of economic and social infrastructure in different urban areas;

WHEREAS, the role of the principal regional cities is easily discernable and removing bottlenecks to economic development in these cities will significantly help stimulate growth in each sub-region affected and will induce development of a regional urban hierarchy;

WHEREAS, there is presently being undertaken the identification of initial priority areas and preparation of plans for such areas for inclusion in the proposed Regional Cities Development Project, with technical assistance being provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

WHEREAS, there is a need to create the organization to implement the aforementioned Project;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Establishment of Project. The Regional Cities Development Project, hereinafter referred to as the Project, is hereby declared as a project of the national government with the following objectives:

a) Identify and prepare investment programs in basic infrastructure of selected regional cities to remove bottlenecks to economic development and employment potential;

b) Improve urban management in the areas of planning, budgeting and finance, maintenance of public investments, and delivery of essential services; and

c) Provide basic sanitation and shelter particularly to low-income groups.

SECTION 2. Creation of the Regional Cities Development Project Office. To achieve the above objectives, there is hereby created a Regional Cities Development Project Office, hereinafter referred to as the Project Office, which shall be attached to the National Economic and Development Authority and under the supervision of the Project Steering Committee mentioned under Section 3 hereof, through its Chairman. The Project Office shall identify the cities that will eventually be covered under the Project and shall prepare the corresponding development strategies in accordance with the Project ™s objectives. Other areas to be covered under the Project shall also be identified by the Project Office in accordance with a system of priority established for that purpose.

The Project Office shall have its principal office in Manila but field offices may be established in every Project city.

SECTION 3. Project Steering Committee. There is hereby created a Project Steering Committee, attached to the National Economic and Development Authority, which shall serve as the policy-making and governing body of the Project. The Project Steering Committee shall be composed of senior officials from the National Economic and Development Authority, as Chairman, the Ministry of Human Settlements, the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development and the Ministry of Industry, as members.

The Project Steering Committee shall deliberate and agree on policies regarding designs, planning guidelines, standards, budgeting and programming of funds, priorities, scale and magnitude of estimated project investments, areas/sites of investments, etc., insofar as these will affect agencies respective national and regional development programs and the national and socio-economic programs in general.

SECTION 4. Project Director. The Project Office shall be headed by a Project Director who shall be appointed by the National Economic and Development Authority and who shall report directly to the Project Steering Committee for policy guidance. The annual compensation and allowances of the Project Director shall be fixed by the Project Steering Committee.

The Project Director shall have the following powers and functions:

a) Develop/formulate projects for the regional cities.

b) Propose/consolidate city program budgets relative to the project.

c) Serve as liaison officer between cities/projects and national agencies of government.

d) Assist in the selection of consultancy services for the project as well as for the National Industrial Estates Project.

e) Recommend the appointment of the City Project Managers.

f) In general, serve as administrative/management officer for the project and perform such functions inherently necessary to the accomplishment of the project.

SECTION 5. Contractual Personnel. Subject to the prior approval of the Project Steering Committee, the Project Director may engage on contractual basis or other arrangements for temporary services and fix the compensation of highly qualified professionals, expert technical advisers and/or consultants.

SECTION 6. Role of Government Agencies. The Project Office is hereby authorized to call upon any ministry, government-owned and -controlled corporation, or instrumentality of the government for any assistance that may be required to ensure the accomplishment of its tasks. The Project Steering Committee shall take necessary steps to obtain the assistance and cooperation of the private sector.

SECTION 7. Detail of Personnel. The Project Director, through the Project Steering Committee, may call on the services of technical experts and professionals from all branches of government as it may need in the conduct of its activities. For this purpose the Project Steering Committee is hereby authorized to reimburse detailed personnel of actual representation and/or transportation expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as such rates as may be approved by the Project Steering Committee, subject to applicable accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

SECTION 8. Appropriations. To carry out the provisions of this Order, an operating fund for Project Office and the Field Offices in the amount of TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the Foreign-Assisted Projects Support Fund or from any other funds of the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated. For the succeeding fiscal years, until its termination, the budgetary requirements shall be provided for in the General Appropriations Act of the Government in such amounts as shall be adequate for the purpose.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 25th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty.


By the President:

(SGD.) JUAN C. TUVERA
Senior Presidential Assistant