The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) provided technical assistance on the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), Regional Development Plan (RDP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the Regional Workshop on National/Regional Strategic Priorities and SDG Alignment on August 1 and 2 in MO2 Westown Hotel, Smallville Complex in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
The region is the first to conduct the said workshop and is one of three pilot regions in the country for SDGs integration in the National and Regional Strategic Priorities.
Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon discussed the PDP 2017-2022 and Ambisyon Natin 2040 including the SDG 2030 framework and lessons learned in implementing the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs.
The personnel of NEDA Regional Office in Western Visayas (NRO VI), on the other hand, facilitated the conduct of the workshop. The activity was In support to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), that initiated the activity following Executive Order No. 27 dated June 1, 2017, “Directing All Government Agencies, Instrumentalities, Including Local Government Units to Implement the PDP and Investment Program for the Period 2017-2022.”
Other inputs to the planning workshop were discussed by Ms. Jenifer Galorport of DILG, Ms. Melissa Banias of the Office of Civil Defense; Deputy Director General Vicente Agdamag of the National Security Council, Col. Pio Dinoso of the Philippine Army, and Mr. Allen Lopez of DILG.
The Workshops focused on the following: (a) understanding the SDGs and identifying the strategies to sustain the gains at the local level; (b) identifying the flagship projects and corresponding strategies for a “Matatag, Maginhawa at Panatag na Buhay” as well as ensure that benefits will be felt by the marginalized sectors including sustainability across generations and the advancement of the national security; and (c) understanding the Awareness Raising Campaign on the SDG Agenda. Another workshop on the Provincial Development Investment Program Review for Alignment with National and Regional Priorities was facilitated by the DILG.
Participants included local chief executives, local planning and development coordinators, provincial local government operations officers, civil society organizations, among others. The templates used in the workshop will then be utilized and improved in the succeeding workshops that will be conducted throughout the country.
NEDA’s technical assistance in this regional activity will prepare the participants for the upcoming Provincial Direction Setting Workshops to be conducted starting in August wherein focus will be on ensuring that programs/projects/activities of all provinces are aligned with the PDP, RDP, and SDGs.
The NRO VI personnel will continue to provide technical assistance for all provinces in the coming months. The results of the provincial roadshow will lead to the preparation of the annual investment program (AIP) for 2018. This will be the reference in the prioritization of budgets particularly for national government’s assistance to municipalities.
DRD-NEDA Western Visayas
Photos by NEDA Western Visayas