Koronadal City, South Cotabato – The Economy Response Cluster (ERC) of the Regional Task Force (RTF) on Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has set its eye on restarting the economy of Region-12 by formulating a Regional Recovery Plan (RRP).  This was the overriding concern as the Committee held its joint meeting with the Rehabilitation and Recovery Committee of the RDRRMC 27 April 2020.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) mandates Local Government Units (LGUs) to formulate their respective Local Economy Restart Plan embodying protocols and guidelines for a new normal.

NEDA 12 Regional Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos, Chairperson of RTF-ERC, enjoined the LGUs to work on their ERP as they transition from ECQ to GCQ to meet the deadline for submission on May 7, 2020.  

Romel Patrick E. Tanghal of NEDA-12, stressed in his presentation that the plans of the LGUs should contain the strategies and interventions that will allow the people of SOCCSKSARGEN to adjust and adapt to the new normal.  Covering the months from May to December this year, Tanghal specified that the recovery plans should detail new normal activities in the field of political, economic, social, technological, infrastructure, legal and environmental well-being of communities.  

To support the implementation of the plan, programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) funded under the 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA) that are not aligned with RA 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and other related policies shall be deferred.

RD Ramos also relayed  that the government has decided to “defer” implementation of already funded projects that are not aligned with RA 11469, to support the implementation of programs, projects and activities (PPAs) crafted as recovery plan of LGUs.

The budget for the PPAs shall be re-programmed to new interventions that are intended to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramos said as she enumerated provision of assistance, in cash or in kind, to the vulnerable groups, including stimulus subsidies for the business sector to start-up regional socio-economic activities, among others.

The submission of RRP to OCD and RDRRMC in the region, and to NEDA Regional Development Group (RDG) is set on May 15, 2020.

Aside from the LGUs, the meeting was attended by members of the Rehabilitation and Recovery Committee and the Chairpersons of four RDC XII Sectoral Committees namely: PSR Ronan Eugene C. Garcia of Macro Economy and Development Finance Committee (MEDAFC), PSR Alfredo P. Hebrona of Infrastructure and Utilities Development Committee (InfraCom), PSR Rolando Doria of Economic and Development Committee (EDC), and Richlie Lyndon Magtulis of Regional Social Development Committee (RSDC). (Apollo Y. Manlawe, NEDA XII-DRD)