Business, Economics and Consulting

PERHAPS the intention of the President in issuing EO 757 is to establish a more meaningful interrelationship between NEDA and the MEDCO. It is meant to synchronize their functions, both vertically and horizontally. After all, their mandates and functions – planning, project development, budgeting, among others – as contained in their respective charters are almost the same. The only difference is that NEDA handles the whole country in the delivery of these tasks, while MEDCO focuses on the different and every parcel of the whole island of Mindanao. And it is the most logical and effective thing for MEDCO to do given the distinct character and nature of the working environment that MEDCO has to face each day to deliver its mandates.

The NEDA Regional Offices (NROs) in Mindanao (Region IX, X, XI, XII, and XIII) and the RPEDB of the ARMM are the “small entities” that try to address the development requirements of each region, to oversee the implementation of government critical sectoral programs and projects, and to coordinate development activities of the different government agencies, local government units, and other entities in the regions. Problems and institutional kinks are resolved at the regional level through the regional development councils.

In the case of MEDCO, MEDCO is most effective in terms of providing a strong link to the Office of the President on all and, most importantly, the critical issues and concerns (technical, administrative, political) of every segments (be it government or “non-government”) in Mindanao. While development planning is an area of improvement at the MEDCO Secretariat level, the MEDCO Secretariat is strong in project development and management, fund sourcing, and project monitoring and evaluation. Because of the strategic historical background of MEDCO, it remains as a very credible, capable and relevant agency in Mindanao bureaucracy.

While the functions, clients and processes of NEDA and MEDCO are almost the same, it doesn’t seem very effective, from my vantage point, to integrate the two (2) agencies – much more to put MEDCO under the general supervision of NEDA, even for the reason of cost efficiency, government streamlining efforts and practicality. Over the years, MEDCO and NEDA have created their individual and distinct work ethics and cultures – internal to both organizations and external to their clients. Some people might consider these simple governance elements as unnecessary, but to me, personally, I consider them very critical in the eyes of the current and prevailing problems in Mindanao.

There are at least two (2) reasons (and even more; but for now, I will talk on these 2 items) why MEDCO should not be put under NEDA. One, the MEDCO has ably provided leadership on the multi-faceted affairs of Mindanao. And when I say leadership, it has its own “style “ of doing things and produced results, which I believe would be very difficult for NEDA’s current leadership to equal (a very personal opinion!). MEDCO has gone beyond technical matters of planning, project development and fund sourcing; it has steered participation of Mindanaoans in managing the affairs of the whole island, and has linked the whole island to strategic economic and business allies, both domestic and international. With the magnitude of initiatives already put in place by the MEDCO in the past, the move to have it supervised by NEDA is apparently unwarranted and disgustingly unnecessary. Simply put, MEDCO has its own distinct, unique and bigger roles to play which may not necessarily be NEDA-related.

Another reason is that we have other concerns in Mindanao that NEDA would not be able to address. They are “bigger” and more encompassing than the usual development concerns that NEDA faces everyday. These concerns are very difficult to enumerate both from technical and political points of view but they are real, and I suppose, all of us in Mindanao know what I mean!

Feel free to send your comments to nic_agustin@yahoo.com.

My best wishes to the officers and members of NEDA XI on the occasion of the inauguration of their new and permanent home in SPED Area, Bangkal, Matina Aplaya, Davao City on November 28, 2008. Congratulations…